Following his remarkable 135 in the opening ODI, Virat Kohli delivered another impressive performance as India faced South Africa in the second match of the three-game series in Raipur on Wednesday.
In the 38th over against Marco Jansen, Kohli reached his 53rd ODI century, scoring 100 runs off 90 deliveries with seven fours and two sixes. His innings, however, ended soon after when Aiden Markram caught him at long-on off Ngidi in the 39th over.
Kohli appeared in exceptional touch once more, bringing up a composed fifty and combining with Ruturaj Gaikwad for a solid 100-run partnership, taking India to 158/2 at the midway stage.
The initial excitement featured a massive six off Lungi Ngidi, with Kohli signaling his intent to follow up on his century in Ranchi. Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad delivered an impressive 105 runs before being dismissed by Marco Jansen.
With India holding a 1–0 lead in the series after winning the first ODI, this innings could further solidify Kohli’s role as the key figure in the batting lineup and bring him nearer to scoring another century in the series.
Kohli entered the match riding high on a significant rankings rise following his century in Ranchi. The prominent batter has moved up to fourth place in the ICC ODI rankings with 751 rating points, surpassing Shubman Gill and now sitting only 32 points behind leader Rohit Sharma.
Given his current form, the battle for the ICC ODI batting No.1 position has once again become a major talking point. Kohli has not occupied the top ODI ranking since April 2021, when Pakistan’s Babar Azam surpassed him.
This week, India experienced notable shifts in the ICC rankings. Kuldeep Yadav climbed to sixth place among ODI bowlers, further cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most dependable white-ball spinners. On the global stage, Pakistan opener Saim Ayub made the biggest leap in T20Is, reclaiming the top spot among all-rounders following his match-winning display in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka. In Test cricket, South Africa’s Marco Jansen advanced to fifth among bowlers and second among all-rounders after delivering exceptional performances.