The Return Of Royalty: Virat Kohlis Ton Silences Doubt, Ignites Dreams
JSCA International Stadium Complex: Some innings begin quietly. Virat Kohlis knock on Sunday did not. The moment India lost an early wicket and Kohli walked out to bat in the first ODI of the three-match series against South Africa, Ranchi didnt just react it erupted. A wall of sound rolled across the JSCA International Stadium, a roar so fierce it seemed capable of shaking the floodlights. Fans leapt to their feet, arms raised, phones trembling. They werent capturing a batter walking in; they were capturing the arrival of a legend. Kohli! Kohli! Kohli! The chants echoed like shockwaves. A king had taken guard. India had been jolted early opener Yashasvi Jaiswal dismissed in the fourth over but the moment Kohli joined Rohit Sharma, the night changed. The Proteas werent just up against two batters; they were confronting two giants who had decided the evening belonged to them. Rohit brought elegance, Kohli intensity. Together, they rebuilt the innings, then dominated the bowling. Their 136-run partnership felt like a proclamation chiselled across the Ranchi sky. Rohits 57 came with fireworks, including the six that took him past Shahid Afridis ODI sixes record, before he walked back. Ruturaj Gaikwad barely got going before Dewald Brevis soared horizontally to claim a catch that defied belief. With Washington Sundars support and later KL Rahuls calm assurance, Kohli shaped an innings that felt less like batting and more like storytelling with a blade of willow. He nudged, punched, drove and ruled. His fifty stirred the crowd. Then came the transformation. Kohli shifted gears, and Ranchi felt the temperature rise. When the moment arrived his 52nd ODI century, his 83rd international ton the stadium didnt just cheer. It exploded. This wasnt a celebration; it was a coronation. Kohlis innings ended on 135 off 120 balls, courtesy of a sharp catch by Ryan Rickelton sprinting in from cover. But by then, the damage was done. The aura was restored. The noise eternal. When the moment arrived his 52nd ODI century, his 83rd international ton the stadium didnt just cheer. It exploded. This wasnt a celebration; it was a coronation. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The crowd didnt watch a match. It watched a king reclaim his kingdom. Article Source: IANS
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