India win after Virat vintage at MSD's den

Virat Kohli hits his 52nd ODI hundred in Ranchi to help India beat South Africa by 17 runs in the opening match of the three-game series

- Rasesh Mandani

A good start is half the battle won. And India got a great start, both with bat and ball, in the Ranchi ODI against South Africa on Sunday. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma raced away to 80 runs in the power-play for the loss of Yashavi Jaiswal. In reply, South Africa were reduced to 47/3 in the first 10 overs by Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. This difference of 33 runs proved crucial in helping India defend 349 by 17 runs in the dew-affected encounter as they overcame a fighting run-chase from the Proteus.

Just like many were auditioning in the batting group, India's bowlers too had a chance to have their say while Jasprit Bumrah was rested. Rana began with his tail up. In his first three legal deliveries after he started with a wide, the pacer got one to shape in, another to shape away from the left-hander from round the wicket and just like that he saw the back of Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock, nicking behind, before they could open their accounts.

Rana looks like a force when he gets his radar right. And because he is trolled heavily when he fails for getting the extra opportunity, his display of emotion in celebrations often has a proved-a-point vibe. Indeed, Rana had made a point with his opening burst of 4-0-20-2, which opened up the match. Both of India's new ball bowlers held such strangle hold over the proceedings in the early exchanges that Aiden Markram (7) was in no control when he slashed hard against Arshdeep's angle and his edge was gleefully accepted by captain KL Rahul.