Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his first century and superstar veterans, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, added glittering half centuries as India galloped to a comprehensive nine-wicket in the third and deciding one-day international against South Africa at the VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.
Quinton de Kock made his own brilliant century to lead South Africa to a total of 270 but the Proteas lost eight wickets for the addition of just 102 runs as they failed to capitalise on a solid platform which promised a total well in excess of 300 when they reached 168-2.
Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Prasidh Krishna shared eight wickets to undermine the South African innings after India chose to bowl first and the tourists bowlers all struggled with the soft, wet ball in the night-time dew – just as India’s had during the first two matches.
But Jaiswal and Rohit were in imperious form adding 155 for the first wicket before Rohit top-edged a slog sweep against Keshav Maharaj to Matthew Breetzke at deep midwicket to depart for 75 from 73 balls which included seven fours and three trademark hooked and pulled sixes against the fast bowlers.
Virat’s seven previous ODIs at this venue had yielded three centuries, a 99 and a 65 and his relationship continued with a commanding, unbeaten 65 from only 45 balls with six fours and three sixes as the home romped to victory with 10.1 overs to spare on 271-1.
Earlier De Kock and captain Temba Bavuma mostly consolidated during the Power Play after the early loss of Ryan Rickelton (0) but de Kock burst into life in the ninth over with a hooked six against Krishna before driving the same bowler over extra cover for six and slog-sweeping Ravindra Jadeja over the deep square leg boundary.
Bavuma added 113 with de Kock for the second wicket before slashing a wide ball from Jadeja to backward point to depart for a sensible 48 from 67 deliveries but the tourists looked in control when Matthew Breetzke’s bustling 24 from 23 balls took the total to 168-2 in the 29th over.
De Kock, meanwhile, reached his century from just 80 balls with a magnificent pulled six against Harshit Rana and it was the Indian bowlers who were enduring all of the pressure. But then the wheels fell off the Proteas innings.
Breetzke was trapped lbw by a Krishna delivery which kept low and Aiden Markram (1), batting at No 5 following his brilliant century at the top of the order in the previous match, drove Krishna straight to Virat Kohli at cover four balls later.
De Kock swung across the line at Krishna (4-66) and was bowled for 106 from 109 balls (8x4, 6x6) which represent a worthy comeback from the fast bowler after opening figures of 2-0-27-0 at the hands of de Kock.
Kuldeep (4-41) engineered the demise of the lower middle order tempting Dewald Brevis (29) and Marco Jansen (17) to swing at craftily flighted deliveries before persuading Corbin Bosch (9) to push a tame return catch straight back to him.
Keshav Maharaj finished on a resilient 20* from 29 balls to take the score past 250 but the bowlers were always going to struggle in the testing night conditions – and duly did with all but Maharaj (10-0-44-1) and Marco Jansen (8-1-39-0) conceding over eight runs per over.
India won the three-match series 2-1 but many of the same players will line up against each other once more when the five-match T20 series starts on Tuesday.
INDIA: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (captain/wkt), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.