India won toss, chose to bat first against South Africa in 3rd ODI
Last time India had won a toss in this format was World Cup 2023 semi-final
KL Rahul rejoices as streak finally broken in Visakhapatnam
As India and South Africa fight for the ODI series honours in the third and final match at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, on Saturday, a seemingly routine detail drew the first attention.
Captains often insist that tosses don't matter, but when one keeps losing them, frustration can become palpable and felt even by fans. For 20 consecutive ODIs, the coin had mocked India.
India captain KL Rahul, perhaps tired of the routine, decided to change something. He tossed the coin with his left hand. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, as they say, and India finally won the toss.
Rahul, the right-handed batter, broke into a grin and even did a fist pump in a muted celebration.
Two Years Of Bad Luck
The last time India had won a toss in this format was the World Cup 2023 semi-final match against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, which they won by 70 runs after posting 397/4.
Virat Kohli (117 off 113) and Shreyas Iyer (105 off 70) scored centuries, while opener Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 80 off 66. But it was Mohammed Shami, who took the Player of the Match award for his seven-wicket haul (7/57).
However, the jubilation and anticipation for another World Cup title were soon tempered by the final defeat to Australia in front of a packed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad -- a contest etched in memory as much for Pat Cummins's words.
"In sport, there's nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent, and that's the aim for us tomorrow," the Australian captain had declared on the eve of the match.
Since that semi-final, every ODI had begun with India playing according to someone else's decision. In Visakhapatnam, the streak was finally broken. Rahul chose to bowl, expecting dew.
India Vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Match State
The third India vs South Africa ODI match began with early drama. Arshdeep Singh struck in his first over, sending Ryan Rickelton back for a duck, and Harshit Rana backed him up with a probing spell.
But the Proteas, chasing a rare Test and ODI series double in India, found a capable pair in Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma to rebuild the innings. They stitched a 113-run stand for the second innings before Ravindra Jadeja had Bavuma caught at point by Virat Kohli. Prasidh Krishna later picked up three wickets to leave the Proteas at 228 for five after 37 overs, at the time of writing.
India Vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Playing XIs
Both teams made changes. India brought in batter Tilak Varma for under-utilised all-rounder Washington Sundar, while South Africa, hit by injuries to Nandre Burger and Tony de Zorzi, drafted Ryan Rickelton and Ottneil Baartman into the XI.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.
South Africa Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, and Ottneil Baartman.
India won the first ODI in Ranchi by 17 runs, but the Proteas hit back to level the series 1-1 with a four-wicket victory in Raipur. After the ODIs, the two teams will face off in a five-match T20I series, starting December 9 at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
West Indies' Fourth-Innings Heroics
Elsewhere, the West Indies batted 163.3 overs to salvage a draw with New Zealand in the first Test. Chasing a 531-run target, the Windies were starting at defeat, but Justin Greaves (202 not out) and Kemar Roach (58) faced 409 deliveries together for an unbroken 180-run seventh-wicket stand to flip the narrative, and also the result.
Their 457/6 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, is now the highest fourth-innings score, discounting England's 654/5 against South Africa in the 1939 Timeless Test -- a match that stretched over 10 days.
At the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia scored 511 in their first innings of the 2nd Ashes 2025 Test, for a 177-run lead. Mitchell Starc led the way with a brisk 77, having already starred with the ball earlier by claiming six wickets to bowl England out for 334.
As things stand, the Aussies lead the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 table with a perfect win record, while defending champions South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India complete the top five. England are 6th, ahead of New Zealand, Bangladesh, and the West Indies.
