Watch: Virat Kohli's Terrific Celebration After Breaking Sachin Tendulkar's World Record
India star batter Virat Kohli was at his best when he came out to bat during the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.
India star batter Virat Kohli was at his best when he came out to bat during the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday. The player scored a sensational century, a record-breaking 52nd in the ODI format. Kohli surpassed legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar for the most number of hundreds in a single format. He reached the three-figure mark in 102 balls, and the celebration from the batting great said it all. Kohli steered a Marco Jansen delivery past third man for a four and took a superb jump while also punching the air in delight.
Watch the celebration here:
52nd ODI hundred for the King!
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 30, 2025
Most in a single format in international cricket #INDvSA 1st ODI, LIVE NOW https://t.co/BBkwein9oF pic.twitter.com/DPYCzEZ72J
The entire crowd at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi rose in jubilation as Kohli notched up his 52nd ODI century.
Playing at the home ground of India legend and one of his closest friends, MS Dhoni, dubbed as 'Dhoni land' before the game by Ravi Shastri, Kohli led the batting charge for his side and hit a beautiful century, turning his first ODI in India in nearly 10 months into no less than a festival.
Taking on the Proteas, Kohli sailed to a smooth fifty before converting it into his 83rd international century and shut all his critics in style.
Kohli walked in earlier than India would have liked, but what followed was a masterclass that shifted the entire rhythm of the innings. Arriving after Yashasvi Jaiswal's departure, Kohli immediately seized control, striking with a clarity and authority that had been missing from his recent outings.
He was the driving force in a 136-run stand with Rohit Sharma, setting the tone with crisp boundaries and cleanly struck sixes that lifted India into a commanding position.
Even after Rohit fell, Kohli's momentum never dipped. He pressed on with a fluency that recalled his peak years, eventually raising a richly crafted century, one that carries added weight given the scrutiny surrounding his form in recent months.
This hundred, his first ODI century on Indian soil in 746 days, marks a symbolic return. His previous home century came in the 2023 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand, the innings in which he overtook Sachin Tendulkar to claim a record 50 ODI hundreds.
Now 37 and having stepped away from Tests and T20Is, Kohli continues to look entirely capable of anchoring India's one-day ambitions. If this innings is any indication, his influence on the side, and potentially at the 2027 World Cup, remains far from fading.
(With IANS Inputs)
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Virat Kohli