4-Wicket Heroics: Kuldeep Yadav masterclass (4/68) broke South Africa’s spirited chase in the 1st ODI. Despite Kohli’s century and Proteas’ fightback, India clinched a tense 17-run victory .
Kuldeep Yadav’s Four-Wicket Heroics: India Edge South Africa in Ranchi Thriller
Ranchi, November 30, 2025: In a high-octane start to the three-match One Day International series, India secured a thrilling 17-run victory over South Africa at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. While a classic century from Virat Kohli anchored the hosts’ formidable total, it was the decisive four-wicket haul by left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav that ultimately tipped the scales in a contest that went down to the final over.
🏏 Kohli’s Class Puts India in Command
Having been put in to bat by South Africa’s stand-in captain Aiden Markram, India’s innings was built on a foundation of sheer class and power. After losing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (18) early to Nandre Burger (2/72), a masterful partnership between veteran Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma laid the groundwork. Rohit, smashing a fiery 57 off 51 balls, provided the early acceleration, setting a brisk pace before being dismissed.
The show, however, belonged to Kohli. Marking his return to the ODI fold with characteristic elegance, the former captain notched up his record-extending 52nd ODI century—a sublime 135 runs off 120 deliveries, decorated with 11 fours and 7 sixes. He found an able partner in stand-in skipper KL Rahul, who continued the momentum with a crucial 60 off 56 balls. Despite a late flurry of wickets, including two each for Marco Jansen, Nandre Burger, Corbin Bosch, and Ottneil Baartman, India posted a towering total of 349 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs, a score that looked safe but not impregnable on the flat Ranchi surface.
🤯 Proteas’ Chase: A Rollercoaster of Resilience
The South African chase began in disastrous fashion, with the young Indian pacer Harshit Rana (3/65) tearing through the top order. Rana accounted for Ryan Rickelton and the dangerous Quinton de Kock for ducks in a stunning opening spell, before Arshdeep Singh (2/64) removed Markram. South Africa were reeling at a precarious 11 for 3 inside the first five overs, seemingly out of the contest.
However, the Proteas middle and lower order staged a remarkable comeback, turning the pursuit into an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Matthew Breetzke (72 off 80 balls) and Tony de Zorzi provided the initial repair work, but it was the sensational counter-attacking efforts from Breetzke, Marco Jansen, and Corbin Bosch that truly reignited the chase. Jansen was particularly destructive, hammering a whirlwind 70 off just 39 balls, completely shifting the pressure back onto the Indian bowlers and forming a vital 97-run partnership with Breetzke. Later, Bosch kept the hopes alive with a valiant 67 off 51 balls, finding the boundary with regularity.
🎯 The Wrist-Spinner Strikes: Kuldeep’s Defining Spells
Just when the 350-run target started to look within reach, particularly with the dew factor making gripping the ball difficult for the Indian bowlers, Kuldeep Yadav stepped up with a match-defining spell.
His left-arm wrist-spin was the answer to India’s deepening worry, as he first broke the threatening partnership by dismissing the well-set Matthew Breetzke in the 34th over. Critically, Kuldeep returned to remove the rampaging Marco Jansen just two balls later, a decisive double-strike that completely derailed the Proteas’ momentum and seized control for the hosts.
Kuldeep was unrelenting, picking up two more wickets—Dewald Brevis earlier and later Prenelan Subrayen—to finish with outstanding figures of 4 wickets for 68 runs from his 10 overs. His ability to spin the ball both ways and generate bounce proved too challenging for the South African batters under pressure.
4-Wicket Heroics: Kuldeep Yadav
With Kuldeep’s intervention breaking the backbone of the chase, the final overs became a scramble for South Africa. Corbin Bosch kept the fans on edge, bringing the equation down to a tense 18 runs needed off the final over. However, pacer Prasidh Krishna held his nerve brilliantly, dismissing Bosch with the second delivery of the 50th over to wrap up the innings at 332 with four balls remaining.
India‘s 17-run win gives them a crucial 1-0 lead in the series. While the big-hitting efforts of Kohli, Rohit, and Rahul set the stage, it was the timely wickets from Kuldeep Yadav, perfectly supported by the young pace duo of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, that prevented one of ODI cricket’s greatest comebacks. The series now moves to the second ODI, with South Africa eager to level the score and India looking to build on their winning momentum.
