Ruturaj Gaikwad brought up his maiden ODI century in Raipur, delivering a breakthrough moment in his international career during the second ODI against South Africa. The milestone came in the 33rd over when Corbin Bosch dragged one short, and Gaikwad pounced instantly, cracking it for four to reach his hundred off 77 balls.
Gaikwad had a shaky start early in his innings while facing Marco Jansen’s bounce and swing, but once he survived that phase, he barely put a foot wrong. He reached his fifty in 52 balls and then shifted gears with precision strokeplay—collecting 12 fours and 2 sixes—before raising his bat for a classy landmark.
At the other end, Virat Kohli kept the scoreboard ticking and moved into the 90s as India reached 247/2 in 33.4 overs. Their partnership swelled to 185 runs off 144 balls, flattening South Africa’s bowling attack during a dominant middle-overs phase.
Gaikwad’s celebration was calm but filled with emotion as Kohli walked up to congratulate him—marking a memorable moment for the young opener, who had been under pressure to convert his starts into big scores.
India now look well set for a massive total as both batters continue to dictate terms decisively in Raipur.
