Virat Kohli’s 53rd ODI Century Ends in Rare Defeat for India After Seven Years
Virat’s 102 fails as South Africa ends unbeatable streak.
Virat Kohli’s 102 in Raipur on Wednesday marked his 53rd ODI century, yet for the first time in over seven years India suffered defeat despite the maestro reaching triple figures. South Africa’s composed chase of 359 ended a remarkable streak that began after the March 2019 loss to Australia in Ranchi, where Kohli had also scored 123. Between those two Ranchi heartbreak moments, Kohli hammered 11 consecutive ODI hundreds in winning causes.
The Raipur defeat became only the eighth instance in Kohli’s career where an ODI century coincided with an Indian loss, and the first since that 2019 encounter. Previously, defeats despite his centuries occurred in 2011 (vs England), 2014 (vs New Zealand), twice in 2016 (vs Australia), 2017 (vs New Zealand), and 2018 (vs West Indies). Wednesday’s result in Raipur now stands as the latest addition to this rare list.
Across his 53 ODI hundreds, 44 have directly translated into Indian victories – a staggering 83% success rate. His dominance is even more pronounced in chases: 24 of those centuries have come while hunting, yielding 6,072 runs at an astonishing average of 89.29 in successful pursuits. Only eight centuries have ended on the losing side, with one in a no-result tie.
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In 2025 alone, Kohli has accumulated 586 runs in 12 ODI innings at 58.60, maintaining a strike rate of 92.72 with three centuries and three fifties. His latest ton formed part of back-to-back hundreds in the ongoing series, following his century in the opener, yet neither secured victory for India.
The Raipur reversal underscores that even the most infallible records in cricket can eventually fracture. For the first time since March 2019, Kohli walked off century-maker in a losing Indian dressing room – a stark reminder that no streak, however legendary, is eternal.
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