NEW DELHI: A Virat Kohli century turning right into a dropping trigger has been among the many rarest sights in fashionable cricket. However Raipur witnessed that rarity on Wednesday as India suffered a four-wicket defeat to South Africa regardless of Kohli’s 93-ball 102 — his second consecutive hundred within the sequence. The loss not solely levelled the three-match ODI contest 1-1, it additionally revived an undesirable statistic that had remained dormant for practically seven years.Go Past The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The final time India misplaced an ODI regardless of a Kohli century was on March 8, 2019, in Ranchi, when India fell brief by 32 runs in opposition to Australia regardless of his 123 off 95 balls. The truth is, earlier than Raipur, India had not misplaced any ODI in 2,462 days by which their former captain reached three figures (11 tons). Kohli’s tons often win matches, which makes this defeat stand out much more.

General, Kohli now has 9 ODI centuries in dropping causes. Batting first, India rode on a 195-run stand between Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, the latter scoring his maiden ODI hundred (105), to put up a formidable 358/5. Kohli’s knock featured seven boundaries and two sixes, marking his 53rd ODI century and 84th worldwide ton general, and likewise made him the primary batter to hit seven or extra ODI centuries in opposition to 4 completely different groups (Sri Lanka, West Indies, Australia and now South Africa).

Similar to Australia’s chase of 359 in Mohali in 2019, South Africa matched the joint-highest profitable chase in opposition to India. Aiden Markram’s 110 off 98 balls, supported by runs from Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis, ensured the guests sealed the chase with 4 balls to spare. Corbin Bosch hit the profitable boundary to complete unbeaten on 29.The defeat additionally marked the primary time in eight years that India misplaced a match defending a complete regardless of a Kohli century, the final occasion being in opposition to New Zealand in 2017 at Wankhede.2025 has been considered one of his most prolific years in current occasions, scoring 586 runs in 12 innings with three centuries and three fifties, and climbing to fourth within the ICC ODI rankings.