The opening act of the Proteas ODI series against India in 2025 had everything that makes this rivalry irresistible, a masterclass from Virat Kohli, a furious South African fightback, and a chase that went to the final over before ending 17 runs short in Ranchi. Now the tour moves to Raipur, and with belief still coursing through the South African camp, the story feels far from settled.
Ranchi recap where one over changed everything
Chasing 350 in Ranchi, South Africa were 11 for 3 after an early collapse that removed Aiden Markram for 7, and Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock for ducks. What followed was a show of character, Matthew Breetzke steadied with 72 and Tony de Zorzi added 39, before Dewald Brevis chipped in with 37 to keep the chase alive.
The heartbeat of the pursuit arrived later, Marco Jansen belted 70 and Corbin Bosch struck 67 off 51, with Prenelan Subrayen and Nandre Burger offering crucial lower-order runs. The hinge of the match came in the 34th over when Kuldeep Yadav removed Jansen and Breetzke within two deliveries, the left-arm wrist spinner, who finished with 4 for 68, turned a surge into a stumble with a single spell.
King Kohli and Rohit set the tone for India
India’s foundation was built on the old firm, Virat Kohli’s 135 off 120 balls, his 52nd ODI century, and Rohit Sharma’s 57. Together they stitched a 136-run stand for the second wicket that kept the hosts ahead of the rate and the pressure firmly on South Africa’s bowlers.
There were important contributions around them, KL Rahul made 60 and Ravindra Jadeja added 32, completing a total of 349 for 8. The Proteas shared the wickets with Jansen, Nandre Burger, Bosch, and Ottneil Baartman claiming two apiece, yet the missed boundary chance to dismiss Kohli early lingered as the moment that allowed India’s great finisher to seize control.
Kohli’s statement on longevity and focus
This series has doubled as a referendum on experience, and Kohli, who now plays only the 50-over format after stepping away from Tests and T20s, responded with authority. He is targeting the 2027 ODI World Cup and spoke about preparation anchored in mental clarity and daily physical work, a routine that keeps his competitive edge sharp.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak pushed back at questions over Kohli’s future, praising the veteran’s form and fitness as beyond dispute. Veteran observers echoed that sentiment, with Ayaz Memon framing the knock as proof that Kohli and Rohit can carry their ambition to 2027 and Virender Sehwag capturing the mood with a flourish, runs, he said, come to Kohli as easily as making tea.
Proteas leadership leans on resilience and adaptability
Inside the South African camp the message has been steady, build, adapt, and learn. Batting coach Ashwell Prince underlined that the ODI project is on track in a long-term build toward the 2027 World Cup on home soil, even as the team has prioritized Tests recently and is shifting focus to T20s ahead of a global tournament early next year.
Prince emphasized two pillars that matter in India, the ability to handle clutch moments and the need to adapt instantly to conditions. He believes sub-continent challenges are no longer foreign to this squad since many players compete in the IPL and other T20 leagues, and he urged an open mind, avoid premeditation, read the pitch on the day, and adjust the method accordingly.
Temba Bavuma’s belief as the series moves to Raipur
Captain Temba Bavuma, who missed the Ranchi opener through illness, struck a confident tone before the second ODI in Raipur with a 10am start. Facing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli again is a test South Africa know well, and Bavuma reminded all that these are world-class players whose presence brings challenges, not fear.
He contextualized where this ODI team stands, still building its identity and depth, with younger players tracking toward the experience that India’s senior men already possess. It remained unclear earlier whether Bavuma would be cleared, although his appearance at the pre-match press conference suggested he had recovered and would feature, a timely boost for a side intent on leveling the series.
Marco Jansen’s emergence as the all-round spark
Few images from Ranchi were as compelling as Jansen counterpunching with clean hitting and calm judgment under pressure. His 70 in the chase followed a stretch of batting growth that included a career-best 93 in the second Test against India last month, a sign of a young player turning potential into presence.
Jansen explained his method in the sub-continent, keep as low as possible, watch the ball, and simplify the decision making. He felt South Africa did many things right, that India grabbed the key moments by striking early and then again in the middle, and that if the Proteas continue to stack the right habits, the series can still tilt their way.
Why Ranchi matters for the Proteas blueprint
The defeat, while painful, was rich in information for a team that Prince says has tasted success in Australia and England and knows where the margins must be found. The early top-order collapse was a stark reminder of the premium on new-ball management in India, and of the value of partnerships that do not just repair but accelerate.
The other lesson was tactical, Kuldeep Yadav’s 34th over will live in South African minds as a moment to revisit, both in shot selection and tempo. Protecting set batters against frontline spin, rotating with low-risk options, and having clear communication between partners can buy the overs needed to launch late, rather than chasing the game after a double strike.
India’s veterans and the psychology of pursuit
There is a psychological layer at work when Rohit and Kohli walk to the crease, a weight of history that can make attacks aim at the name rather than the plan. Bavuma’s point was crucial, acknowledge the greatness, then meet it with disciplined execution, South Africa’s bowlers did share the load and kept India to a chasable total, even after the early miss offered Kohli a second life.
On the flip side, South Africa’s batters stared down the scoreboard and refused to fold, which matters for confidence in a three-match series. The closing image of Bosch fighting toward the end, even as the target slipped away, feeds the inner belief that the next tight finish can belong to the Proteas.
Key themes for Raipur and beyond
The numbers around this contest bring both context and challenge. South Africa have lost six of their last seven ODIs against India and have not won a 50-over match in India since October 2022, yet this series already shows a Proteas team ready to contest the margins harder.
- Start with clarity against the new ball, avoid the early cluster that puts the middle order under immediate pressure,
- own the middle overs against spin, protect set batters and rotate to keep the asking rate manageable,
- sharpen the fielding at the boundary, the early chance to remove a dominant batter can define the day.
What the coaches and captain want to see next
Prince’s call for adaptability is not a buzzword, it is a compass for Raipur where surfaces can vary and reward the patient and the brave. Reading the pitch, setting par in real time, and trusting combinations that fit the conditions will decide how the Proteas balance their attack and shape their batting order.
From Bavuma the priority is composure under pressure, absorb the moments when India surge and answer with intent, not panic. From the players the ask is simple, take the Ranchi grit forward, marry it to clearer decision making in the critical over, and turn a near miss into a statement win.
The bigger picture to 2027 without losing sight of today
South Africa’s ODI journey is being run on parallel tracks, compete fiercely now and curate a squad that peaks on home soil at the 2027 World Cup. Rotations and combinations are part of that plan, the standards are not negotiable, and each series in challenging environments becomes a brick in the structure they hope will support a title charge.
India, for their part, are also aligning experience with purpose, with Kohli and Rohit signaling that age can partner ambition if the hunger remains. That is why each chapter of this tour matters, it measures not just skill, but conviction, and it asks which dressing room can keep believing when the contest tightens.
Raipur awaits with the series still alive
Ranchi told us these sides are separated by details, a drop near the rope, a misread against spin, a partnership that stretches too long before it is broken. It also told us that the Proteas possess the resilience to pull games back from the brink and the batting depth to stretch 350 into the final over.
As Raipur beckons with a 10am start, the equation is beautifully simple, India lean on their senior masters and a deep support cast, while South Africa chase parity with a captain’s belief, a coach’s clarity, and a squad intent on proving that their ceiling is rising. If they capture the moments that escaped them in Ranchi, the series narrative can flip in a single afternoon.
