Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India: Young Indian batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad achieved a remarkable milestone in international cricket. In the second ODI against South Africa held in Raipur, Gaikwad scored a stunning century that has set a record unlikely to be broken.

India suffered a defeat in the second ODI against South Africa on Wednesday at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. The Proteas posted a massive total of 358 runs, ultimately winning the match by four wickets. Despite Ruturaj Gaikwad and Virat Kohli both hitting centuries, India could not capitalize on their efforts. South African batsman Aiden Markram played a pivotal role in securing victory with a brilliant 105-run innings.

Ruturaj’s journey in this series has been eventful. In the first ODI, coming in at number four, he managed only eight runs before being dismissed by pacer O’Neill Bartman, much to the disappointment of fans and the player alike. Many expected Rishabh Pant to take his place in the second ODI squad, but Gaikwad was given a second chance by the team management.

Seizing this opportunity, Gaikwad delivered a historic performance in Raipur. He scored his maiden ODI century in just 77 balls, finishing with 105 runs from 83 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes. His innings came to an end when he was caught by Tony De George off the bowling of Marco Jansen. With this century, he became the first cricketer to score an ODI century in Raipur, etching his name into cricket history.

The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium has hosted only two international matches before this series, including ODIs against New Zealand in 2023, where then-captain Rohit Sharma scored 51 runs—the previous highest individual score at the venue. Ruturaj’s century has now surpassed that record. Moreover, his 77-ball hundred makes him the second-fastest Indian batter to score an ODI century against South Africa, highlighting his extraordinary talent.