THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Virat Kholi, the master craftsman reminded the world why he remains the gold standard of ODI batsmanship, a chanceless century that seemed to turn back the clock. With Rohit Sharma providing the perfect foil at the other end, India in the first ODI against South Africa were nothing short of a batting masterclass—a symphony of timing, temperament, and technique that propelled India to a commanding 349 and ultimately a 17-run victory.
Ranchi, home of MS Dhoni, with its reputation as a good batting pitch , provided the perfect match for what would unfold. India, batted first, knew that posting a substantial total would be crucial against a South African side known for their long batting tail. What transpired was a batting exhibition that blended experience with elegance, power with poise.
Kohli: Rolling Back the Years
There’s something almost mythical about watching Virat Kohli compile a hundred in ODI cricket. The Ranchi century wasn’t just about the runs—though they came in abundance—it was about the manner in which they were accumulated. Every signature stroke was on display was of young Kholi: the cover drives that seemed to caress rather than strike the ball, the wristy flicks through mid-wicket that defied the field placements, and the clinical precision with which he pierced gaps that seemed non-existent.
What made this innings particularly special was the sense that Kohli was operating in a different dimension of time. While those around him might have felt the pressure of recent defeat in Test series, Kohli appeared to be playing a format only he could see—one where timing superseded power, where placement trumped brute force. His footwork was excellent, moving into position milliseconds before the ball arrived, hitting magnificent boundaries.
The century itself was a testament to his evolution as a batsman. Gone are the days when Kohli needed to prove his dominance through aggressive intent alone. This was a mature, measured innings—one that recognized when to accelerate and when to consolidate. He rotated the strike with surgical precision, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking even when boundaries weren’t flowing. And when the opportunity arose, he was ruthless, dispatching anything loose with the contempt it deserved.
Rohit Sharma: The Perfect Partner
Rohit Sharma contribution cannot be understated. While his partnership with Kohli has been the bedrock of India’s white-ball success for over a decade, each alliance brings its own narrative, its own challenges to overcome.
Rohit’s batting in Ranchi was textbook Hitman—elegant yet destructive. He makes batting look easy. His ability to make batting look effortless is perhaps his greatest gift. The pull shot, his trademark stroke, was unfurled with characteristic authority, dispatching anything short with disdain. But it was his willingness to play the supporting role, to allow Kohli the strike when momentum was building, that showcased his maturity as a batsman.
The partnership between Rohit and Kohli has always been about complementary styles. Where Kohli is intensity personified—every run a battle won, every boundary a statement—Rohit brings a calmness to the crease. Together, they created a platform that South Africa simply couldn’t recover from, even with their valiant chase.
The Partnership: A Masterclass in Understanding
What elevated this performance from good to great was the understanding between these two stalwarts. Having batted together in numerous situations, Hitman made South Africa pay after being dropped early. They just clicked and ran between the wickets; they communicate, calculate, and execute with a precision that comes only from years of partnership.
The running between the wickets was a clinical. Quick singles were stolen, twos were converted with ease, and the pressure was constantly transferred back onto the South African bowlers and fielders. By maintaining a brisk scoring rate with boundaries galore, they ensured that South Africa’s bowlers could never settle into a rhythm.
Their partnership also demonstrated tactical awareness. They assessed conditions quickly, and recognized which ends offered easier scoring opportunities. When one was bogged down, the other took charge. When both were flowing, they fed off each other’s momentum.
South Africa came as close as they did—scoring 332 before being dismissed in the 50th over—is a testament to their batting depth and determination. But it also highlights just how crucial those extra runs were, runs that came from Kohli’s calculated aggression and Rohit’s powerful hitting. In a 17-run victory margin, every partnership, every boundary, every stolen single mattered. And it was the Rohit-Kohli alliance that provided the surplus that ultimately proved decisive.
The Broader Significance
This performance carries deeper significance for Indian cricket. In an era where youth is often prioritized and experience sometimes questioned, Kohli’s century and Rohit’s support serve as a reminder that class is permanent. These are batsmen who have seen every variation, faced every situation, and emerged triumphant more often than not.
For Kohli personally, centuries like these answer questions that perhaps only exist in the minds of critics. After a period where his ODI form came under occasional scrutiny, this innings was a statement—not of desperation, but of authority. It said, simply: I’m still here, and I’m still the standard by which others are measured.
For Rohit, the innings reinforced his status as one of the format’s most devastating openers. His ability to pace an innings, to shift gears seamlessly from consolidation to attack, remains unparalleled.
Conclusion: A Day to Remember
The first ODI in Ranchi will be remembered not just for India’s victory or the high-scoring contest, but for the reminder it provided of what true batsmanship looks like. In an age of power-hitting and boundary-counting, Kohli and Rohit demonstrated that the art of batting is about so much more. It’s about reading the game, adapting to conditions, building partnerships, and knowing when to attack and when to accumulate.
Virat Kohli’s masterclass century, supported brilliantly by Rohit Sharma’s equally accomplished innings, was a throwback to a different era—one where batting was as much about craft as it was about might.
As India takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, they do so not just with confidence in their result, but with the knowledge that their two senior-most batsmen are in prime form.
Fans are left wondering, had these two played in the recent Test series, the result might have been different. Without, Kholi and Sharma, the indian side was humiliated, battered and bruised by the South African side. South Africa outplayed India in every department in the recent Tests.
In Ranchi, on that memorable afternoon, we witnessed not just a victory, but a reminder of greatness—a batting masterclass that will be discussed and talked for years to come. And at the heart of it all were two champions, turning back the years and showing that excellence, true excellence, never goes out of fashion.
India 349-8
South Africa 332
Man of the Match: Virat Kholi
