Rohit Sharma’s unbridled joy from the dressing-room balcony became the most heartwarming moment of the first ODI against South Africa on Sunday as Virat Kohli roared past his 52nd ODI century with a fierce pull for four off Marco Jansen. The cameras immediately panned to Rohit, who leapt to his feet, clapped thunderously, and let out an exuberant string of expletives in pure delight—a reaction that instantly went viral as the perfect encapsulation of every Indian fan’s emotions at that moment. The clip, widely shared by the BCCI and fan pages, captured the enduring camaraderie between two modern greats who have shared a dressing room for over 17 years.

Kohli’s 135 off 120 balls—his first ODI ton since February—anchored India’s imposing 349 for 8 after the hosts were asked to bat first. Coming in at No. 3 following Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early dismissal, Kohli combined with Rohit for a commanding 136-run second-wicket partnership. While Rohit fell for a brisk 57 that included three sixes—taking him past Shahid Afridi’s all-time ODI record to 352 maximums—Kohli shifted gears seamlessly, punishing loose deliveries and rotating strike with trademark precision to lift India from a mid-innings wobble at 200/4.

The century itself carried historic weight: it was the 83rd of Kohli’s international career, the 7000th century in men’s international cricket, and pulled him further clear of Sachin Tendulkar’s 51 ODI hundreds. More importantly, it served as a resounding statement amid ongoing debates about his white-ball future ahead of the 2027 World Cup, with the 37-year-old celebrating with his trademark intensity before blowing kisses toward the stands and the dressing room.

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Rohit’s animated reaction underscored the mutual respect between the pair, who now hold the record for most international appearances together as teammates (392), surpassing Tendulkar and Dravid. Even after being dismissed, Rohit remained invested throughout Kohli’s innings, seen constantly clapping and cheering from the balcony—a reminder that, despite individual milestones, their shared journey remains the emotional core of Indian cricket.

The knock set the platform for India’s 17-run victory, with KL Rahul (60) and Ravindra Jadeja (32*) providing late impetus and the bowlers, led by debutant Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav, defending the total successfully. Yet it was the sight of Rohit leaping in joy for his longtime teammate that fans called the “moment of the match,” with social media flooded with captions like “This is all of us when Virat scores” and “Pure brotherhood.”

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