India delight fans with dominant win in Visakhapatnam

The Dr. YSR ACA-VDCA International Stadium erupted in celebration on Saturday as India outplayed South Africa, with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden ODI century adding sparkle to solid contributions from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

The city has hosted several high-profile matches this year, but the return of Kohli and Rohit to the one-day setup gave this fixture a special buzz. Fans poured in as early as 6.30 a.m., eager for good seats long before gates officially opened.

Queues stretched outside every entrance by 10 a.m., and the stands were near full an hour later. The route from Yendada to PM Palem was lined with stalls selling jerseys, flags and caps, most proudly bearing Kohli or Rohit’s name.

A sea of blue filled the stadium, with supporters travelling from states including Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal. The loudest roars came when Rohit and Kohli walked out, and chants of “Kohli! Kohli!” echoed through the ground. Rohit’s pull shots, Kohli’s sixes and Jaiswal’s jubilation were captured on phone screens and flooded social media.

South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock drew respect for his stylish century, while Rohit’s 20,000 international runs milestone earned a heartfelt ovation from seasoned fans.

“We came only for Rohit and Virat. People hope they will continue till the 2027 World Cup. We didn’t want to miss watching them live,” said Kumar and his wife Anusha from MVP colony..

Virat supporter Lakshman hoped for another hundred from the star. “If the target had been bigger, he would have made it. He looked in top touch. Jaiswal and Rohit were brilliant as well,” he said.

Ahead of the first ball, ACA president Kesineni Sivanath and secretary Sana Satish Babu honoured Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir, setting the tone for a memorable afternoon of cricket.