India had waited 21 ODIs for things to go their way, and then this tiny, almost funny moment changed the whole mood. KL Rahul flipping the coin with his left hand. He wins it. Suddenly the day feels different. India bowl first, keep things tight, and then chase the target like it’s a Sunday evening stroll. Nine wickets in hand. More than ten overs left. It was that smooth.
Prasidh Krishna kicked off the comeback with a beauty. He knocked over Quinton de Kock, who had just hammered a superb ton and looked set to cause trouble. After that, Kuldeep Yadav got the ball, dry for the first time this series, and he just started unravelling the middle order. South Africa probably had 350 in mind at one stage but they stumbled to 270. And once that happened, the chase pretty much wrote itself.
The Long Wait for a Proper Chance
Yashasvi Jaiswal played 28 Tests & 23 T20I matches for India in the last two years. But Only one one-day international. Think about that. 8 International hundreds and just one chance in the format where India plays the most cricket. The reason is simple. India’s top order is packed with giants. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill – these men own those spots. Getting them out is like trying to move a mountain.
Jaiswal got his first ODI in February when one of the big names got injured. Now Gill is hurt again, and Jaiswal has another opening. He knows one truth very well. Score runs and you stay in the team. Fail and someone else takes your place. Ruturaj Gaikwad is already waiting in the squad. The pressure on a 23-year-old was huge.
Big Scores Are in His Nature
What makes Jaiswal different? He does not just score centuries. He scores daddy hundreds. In Test cricket, he already has double centuries and many scores over 150. He did not learn this yesterday. In 2019, at just 17 years, he became the youngest man ever to hit a double century in List A cricket. He smashed 203 runs from 154 balls against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
That tournament saw him pile up 564 runs in just six innings. He hit three centuries. His List A record is rock solid – 1566 runs from 35 games at an average above 50 and a strike rate of 85.6. He has five centuries in that format before this ODI hundred. The boy knows how to build big innings.
Rohit Shows the Way
The target of 271 meant India could play calm cricket. The ball moved under lights and dew came late. Jaiswal took time to settle. His strike rate stayed around 50 in the early overs. Rohit Sharma, batting at the other end, took charge. He pulled Lungi Ngidi for six. He chipped Keshav Maharaj for four against the spin. Rohit reached his 50 at a run a ball. This gave Jaiswal the time he needed to find his feet.
Rohit could not stay till the end. He fell before Jaiswal reached his milestone. But his job was done. He had guided the youngster through the tough phase.
The Final Push
Jaiswal took 75 balls to reach his half century. It was not the most aggressive knock. It was not the smoothest. But it showed something important. He can adapt. In the first two matches, India batted first and Jaiswal had to attack from ball one. Here, chasing a small target, he showed he can build an innings.
He went from 50 to 100 in just 36 balls. The acceleration came naturally once he felt settled. He flicked a ball off his hips to reach the magic three-figure mark. The relief on his face was clear. The joy was bigger. India needed only 51 from 88 balls at that stage. The match was already over for South Africa.
Six Indians, One Special Club
With this hundred, Jaiswal joined a very small group. He became the sixth Indian batsman to score centuries in all three international formats. The others are Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Suresh Raina. Think about the company he now keeps. This is not a fluke. This is talent meeting opportunity.
Future is Wide Open
India has a problem every team wants. Too many good batters. But Jaiswal has shown why he cannot be ignored. He has proven himself in Tests. He has now stamped his authority on ODIs. His technique is solid. His hunger for big scores is rare. He does not just want to play for India. He wants to own every format.
Gill will come back soon. The competition will get tougher. But Jaiswal has made his point. He is not just a backup player anymore. He is a man who can walk into any team and score a hundred. The team management has plenty to think about. For Indian cricket fans, this is a happy problem. Another star is born in ODI format. Another batter who can carry the team for the next decade. one can carry the team for the next decade.
