India, Dec. 1 -- It was once again South Africa's lower order that threatened to frustrate India in the ODI series opener in Ranchi on Sunday. But unlike the Test series, where the hosts suffered a 2-0 whitewash, India held their nerve at the JSCA International Stadium Complex despite setting a steep target of 350. Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana shared seven wickets as South Africa eventually fell 17 runs short.

Virat Kohli headlined the win with his 52nd ODI century, marking his first international outing on home soil since March. His superb 135 laid the platform for India's strong total after he stitched a second successive hundred-run stand with Rohit Sharma.

However, former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth felt that KL Rahul's...