Riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden hundred, Team India recorded a commanding nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the series-deciding third ODI at Vizag on Saturday (December 6).
Chasing 271 to win, the Men in Blue got off to a terrific start as the duo of Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma put on 155 runs for the opening wicket. While Jaiswal was cautious in his approach, Rohit blazed his way to 75 off 73 balls before being dismissed in the 26th over.
Jaiswal reached his half-century off 75 deliveries and then shifted gears. It took the southpaw only 36 balls to complete his second fifty and notch up his first three-figure score in the ODI format.
After Rohit’s wicket, Jaiswal forged an unbroken 116-run stand with the legendary Virat Kohli (65* off 45) to take India over the line with 61 deliveries to spare, clinching the series 2-1.
Jaiswal, who was named Player-of-the-Match for his unbeaten 116 off 121 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes, credited senior pros Rohit and Kohli for steadying his nerves during the chase.
The left-handed opener admitted he was far from comfortable in the early part of his innings, and Rohit's presence at the other end proved invaluable.
"Thank you so much, I really enjoyed this innings. To be honest, it feels amazing, and I’m really grateful and blessed to get my maiden ODI hundred. I’ve had starts in the last couple of games and wasn’t able to convert them, so getting this one was really special. Rohit bhai and I were talking a lot out there about how we wanted to chase and what tempo we should play at. He kept reminding me to balance my innings, sometimes take the game deep with singles, and sometimes look for the boundary when it’s on," Jaiswal said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
He also explained how Kohli helped him stay focused and finish strong. "After I got to my fifty, I think I got a bit excited, and he came over, shaking his head, telling me to calm down and stick to the plan. That really helped me settle. Yeah, I did have to control a lot of my natural attacking instincts today. I kept telling myself what shots I could play and when, and to stay patient. But also, I knew if the moment came to take on the bowler, I had to back myself and go for it. And then when Virat bhai walked in, everything felt even more calm. He started playing his shots straight away, and we kept talking a lot. He gave me small targets, five overs at a time, focus on twos, rotate strike, and that really helped me stay focused and finish strong. Overall, I’m really happy I could contribute, and it’s definitely a day I’ll remember," Jaiswal added.
The two teams will now square off in a five-match T20I series, starting on Tuesday (December 9) in Cuttack.
