After the test series, we were all set for the three-match India vs South Africa ODI series to begin. With the ODI series starting, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were back in the Indian jersey. You try to remove them, but they surely, with each match passing by, prove why the team is incomplete without them. Former Indian cricket Mohammed Kaif speaks out, “No, absolutely not, and you will lose the match if Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get out.”
India vs South Africa first ODI was all set to be played at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. With no Shubman Gill, KL Rahul was captaining the team. Just like the other captains, he also lost the toss, and the South African captain Aiden Markram asked the Indian team to bat first.
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India vs South Africa: “No, absolutely not, and you will lose the match if Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get out” says Mohammed Kaif
The Indian team lost Yashasvi Jasiwal too early, and later it was the Virat and Rohit show that every fan wanted to watch. Both players added 136 runs for the second wicket. Rohit Sharma scored a fifty, and he is also the player to hit the most sixes in the ODI format. Virat Kohli scored his 52nd ODI century and did not score once he got his century. India scored 349/8 in 50 overs.
South Africa lost three early wickets as their score was 11/3 in the fifth over. Matthew Breetzke, Marco Jansen, and Corbin Bosch all got fifties and put up a great fight, but couldn’t help their team go over the line. South Africa took the match to the last over and eventually lost the match by just 17 runs. India takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Still, there is time for the South African team to make a comeback as we have two matches remaining in the series. One match is at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, and the other is at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
“No, absolutely not and you will lose the match if Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get out. Then you won’t score that many runs. First thing is, if you don’t make 300, 350 then this South African team will beat you. So I feel there is a direct connection between this win and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. You are talking about youngsters, bringing youngsters in. They won’t even make two hundred. So, in the end, you had to go back to Kohli and Rohit to save you
The things Mohammed Kaif said are true to some extent. India has played without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and we can see the mature decision made by the players. It was not Virat and Rohit vs the staff; it was the best we could get for the Indian cricket team. With every doubt that is raised on both players, they let their bat speak. There was never and will never be a discussion for Virat and Rohit’s place in the Indian team for the World Cup 2027. If someone had their doubts, now the doubt should be very clear.
Basically, the India vs South Africa 2nd ODI is on the 3rd of December, which is a Wednesday. The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur will be the venue. Eventually, the match will start at 1:30 PM local time. All the live action of this match will be available on the JioHostar application as well as their website. If India wins, they will win the series.