Virat Kohli, left, and Ruturaj Gaikwad (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad created a new record for India’s highest partnership against South Africa in ODIs during the second ODI at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Wednesday.The pair put together an impressive partnership of 195 runs for the third wicket, which helped India cross the 300-run mark. Their stand came after India lost the openers of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 22 runs off 38 balls, and Rohit Sharma, who made 14 runs off 8 deliveries.
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Their partnership surpassed the previous record of 194 runs set by Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik in February 2010 at Gwalior. In that match, Tendulkar scored a double century and Karthik contributed 79 runs, leading India to 401/3, with South Africa later dismissed for 248 runs.Gaikwad reached his maiden ODI century in 77 balls, marking the second fastest hundred by an Indian against South Africa. Only Yusuf Pathan’s 68-ball century at Centurion in 2011 was quicker.Gaikwad’s final score was 105 runs from 83 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes. Kohli continued his remarkable form by hitting his 53rd ODI century, reaching the milestone in 90 balls.This was Kohli’s second consecutive century after his 135 innings in the first ODI at Ranchi, which India won by 17 runs.Kohli has now scored 11 different series of centuries in consecutive ODI innings. This is significantly more than AB de Villiers who holds the second best record with six such series.The former Indian captain has now scored seven or more centuries against four different teams. His record includes 10 centuries against Sri Lanka, nine against West Indies, eight against Australia and seven against South Africa. Only Sachin Tendulkar has achieved a similar feat against multiple opponents, with nine centuries against Australia and eight against Sri Lanka.The century marked Kohli’s 84th in international cricket. He remains second only to Sachin Tendulkar who holds the record with 100 international centuries.Kohli finished his innings with 102 runs from 93 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.
