IND vs SA: KL Rahul Joins Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli In Elite Captaincy List

Indian keeper-batter KL Rahul achieved a massive feat after the win against South Africa in the first ODI. The match took place at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg and it had Indian dominance written all over it. 

KL Rahul joined the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to register 10 consecutive wins as a captain in international cricket. The keeper-batter after an 8-wicket win over South Africa in Johannesburg bagged his 10th straight win in the internal cricket and would be hoping to add more to his tally with 2 matches remaining in the series. 

KL Rahul kickstarted his captaincy stint in the ODI series against South Africa on high as India thrashed South Africa by 8 wickets. The keeper-batter exhibited brilliant skills as he made staggering bowling changes, which proved out to be the difference. 

India were asked to bat first and it was a magnificent effort from their end as they bowled staggeringly well. Arshdeep Singh was the shining light for the team as he picked a five-wicket haul whereas Avesh Khan bagged four scalps. The duo was all over the South African batters as they bundled them out for just 116 runs. 

With the bat, it was a cakewalk for India, as Sai Sudharsan and Shreyas Iyer slammed magnificent half-centuries and took their team home. The win in the first ODI was more of redemption for KL Rahul as the last time he captained the team in a 50-over series in South Africa, he was on the receiving end of a 3-0 whitewash. 

KL Rahul himself mentioned that he was delighted to get a win under his belt after facing whitewash last time around. He also credited young players for the discipline they showed. Speaking after the win, he explained: 

“I am happy. Good to have a win under the belt. Completely different to what we expected. The plan was to get the spinners in the game. The boys did really well. The boys did well to stay disciplined. The ball kept moving around. There is a lot of cricket being played. You prioritize one format. For now, it is Tests and T20s. Everyone is performing and trying to do well for the country. Good chance for them to get a taste of international cricket.”

KL Rahul no doubt is proving himself to be a great leader in the ODIs. The kind of leadership that he has shown in the last few games, has been nothing short of exceptional. He would be hoping to win two more games. 

IND vs SA: Most consecutive wins by Indian captain in International cricket; KL Rahul joins an elite list 

Rohit Sharma sits on the top of the list of most consecutive wins by an Indian captain in international cricket. He won 19 games on the trot during the period between 2019 and 2022. He also won 12 games on the trot when he wasn’t a regular captain in 2018. Virat Kohli is third with 12 consecutive wins as well. KL Rahul became just the third Indian skipper to win 10 consecutive matches after a win over South Africa.

Here’s the list of most consecutive wins by Indian Captain in international cricket

19 matches – Rohit Sharma (2019/22)
12 matches – Rohit Sharma (2018)
12 matches- Virat Kohli (2017)
10 matches – Rohit Sharma (2023)
10 matches – KL Rahul (2022/23)*
9 matches – MS Dhoni (2013)