India edged South Africa out by 17 runs in the first ODI played between the two teams at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday, November 30. The home team got the monkey of the Test series off their back with this victory, after they had been treated to a 0-2 whitewash by the South Africans, with defeats in Calcutta and Guwahati. In this match, the Men in Blue were comfortably ahead of their opponents in all three departments: batting, bowling and fielding.
India batted first in this match and put up a gigantic total of 349-8, which is also their second-highest in this format. The stars for the home team were veterans Rohit Sharma (57) and Virat Kohli (135), who rolled the years back and proved that they had not gone anywhere at all. Kohli, in particular, took exception to the South African bowlers and punished them all evening. He scored 11 boundaries and three sixes in his 120-ball knock. Captain KL Rahul also contributed with 60. Marco Jansen, Nandre Burger, Corbin Bosch and Ottneil Baartman all picked up a couple of wickets apiece for South Africa.
The visitors, in response, had a poor start, with top-order batters Ryan Rickelton (0), Quinton de Kock (0) and captain Aiden Markram (7) failing to get going. Although middle-order batter Matthew Breetzke (72) and Jansen (70) tried to revive their innings, India were always ahead due to their superior middle-overs bowling. A late 67 scored by Bosch brought the visitors close to the target they were chasing, but they eventually fell short by 17 runs, getting bowled out in the final over. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav was India’s best bowler with figures of 4-68. India now lead the series 1-0.
India vs South Africa – 2nd ODI Prediction And Preview (03.12.2025)
After convincingly winning the first match of the series, the action moves on to Raipur, Chhattisgarh, where India will take on South Africa in the second ODI on Wednesday, December 3. The home team batted extraordinarily well in the first game, and a similar showing will be expected in Raipur, where the pitch will be quite conducive to shot-making. South Africa, who won the Test series 2-0, will have to win all the remaining matches of this series to outshine their opponents in this format as well.
India are still without their captain, Shubman Gill, who has been ruled out with a stiff neck. With KL Rahul in charge, the Indians will rely, once again, on the technical brilliance of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The duo, who were, for long, criticised as being out of touch, showed their class in the first ODI. In the bowling department, India appear to be a tad inexperienced, but their spinners, led by Kuldeep Yadav, will have to take up the mantle and confuse the Proteas with their accuracy.
South Africa have a young squad led by their experienced captain, Temba Bavuma. While their bowling department seems to be in safe hands with Marco Jansen leading the pack, in their batting department, a little maturity can be expected. Bavuma was rested for the first match, with Aiden Markram leading the side, but the former will be expected to return in Raipur. Top-order batters Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton and Markram flattered to deceive in Ranchi, and a little more will be expected from their bats.
Predicted Teams
IND: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (c) (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
SA: Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Ottneil Baartman.
Key Players
Virat Kohli (IND): Former India captain Virat Kohli became the first player in ODIs to score 52 tons after he got to his century in Ranchi. He displayed a lot of maturity at the crease and rotated the strike with a fluency that belied his years. Kohli is a fearsome competitor who can take on the best bowlers in the world and is an expert at both grounded and aerial shots. South Africa will have to look to get him out when his feet are not moving that well.
Matthew Breetzke (SA): Middle-order batter Matthew Breetzke top-scored for South Africa with 72 in the first ODI, and a lot will rest on him to follow that up with another big score. Breetzke is known to pick up the length and line of each delivery fairly early, which allows him to get into position and play his shots comfortably. He can also take the aerial route, but only when the situation demands it, and that is what makes him such a versatile player.
Match Prediction
India are clearly the better side, given the experience they have in their batting department. If their bowlers live up to expectations, they will become a completely different beast, and South Africa will not be able to come close to them. As of now, the only way the visitors can threaten the hosts is by batting with carefree abandon, especially in the second powerplay (overs 11-40), where just four fielders are stationed outside the circle. With Bavuma’s return, tactical changes are also expected in the Proteas’ dressing room.
