Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 3 : Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad scripted history as they recorded the highest partnership for India against South Africa in ODIs for any wicket.
The duo achieved this milestone during the second ODI of the three-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Wednesday.
Kohli and Gaikwad stitched a brilliant 195-run stand for the third wicket, which guided India to cross the 300-run mark during the second ODI. Their partnership came after the hosts lost openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (22 runs off 38 balls, including two fours and one six) and Rohit Sharma (14 runs off eight deliveries, with the help of three fours) cheaply.
Kohli and Gaikwad surpassed Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik's 194-run second-wicket partnership during the Gwalior ODI against South Africa in February 2010. In that match,
Tendulkar hammered a memorable double century, whereas Karthik slammed 79 runs, guiding India to a monstrous 401/3 in 50 overs. While chasing, South Africa were bundled out for 248 runs and lost the one-sided affair by 153 runs.
The right-handed batter Gaikwad, who slammed his maiden ODI hundred, also hammered the second-fastest (77 balls) ODI hundred for India against South Africa. The star batter is only behind Yusuf Pathan, who got his in 68 balls in Centurion in 2011.
The 28-year-old Gaikwad played a fantastic knock of 105 runs off 83 deliveries, including 12 fours and two sixes, during the second ODI against the Proteas. Kohli, on the other hand, slammed his record-extending 53rd ODI century. The former Indian captain reached the three-figure mark in 90 deliveries.
It was also Kohli's second consecutive hundred in the three-match ODI series. Previously, the right-handed batter made 135 runs in the first ODI, which India won by 17 runs in Ranchi.
Kohli now has 11 different streaks of hundreds in two (or more) consecutive ODI innings. The next most for anyone is six by former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter AB de Villiers.
The 37-year-old Kohli now has seven (or more) hundreds against four different opponents. He has 10 vs Sri Lanka, 9 vs West Indies, 8 vs Australia, and 7 vs South Africa. Tendulkar is the only one to have done so against multiple opponents. Tendulkar had 9 vs Australia and 8 vs Sri Lanka.
Overall, it was the 84th international century for the Kohli.
He is behind legendary Sachin Tendulkar in terms of most international centuries. Tendulkar has 100 centuries in international cricket. Kohli scored 102 runs off 93 balls with the help of seven fours and two sixes.
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