Visakhapatnam, Dec 6 (NationPress) After India secured a remarkable victory over South Africa by nine wickets in the decisive third ODI, stand-in captain K.L. Rahul expressed that he and his teammates felt a sense of pride towards him for winning the toss after around 20 matches.

Rahul faced challenges in the initial two games of this series, having lost the toss and forcing India to bowl second. The bowlers struggled with the heavy dew that saturated the field during this season, complicating their efforts with a wet ball. The hosts clinched the first match by 17 runs in Ranchi but fell short by four wickets in Raipur.

By winning the toss on Saturday, Rahul opted to bowl first in Visakhapatnam, allowing the Indian bowlers to shine with a dry ball, limiting South Africa to 270 runs—significantly lower than the nearly 350 runs seen in the previous matches.

"I believe the team has never looked at me with more pride after the toss. The first two games presented tough conditions, so I was glad to provide a break for our bowlers on a challenging outfield. The pitch was favorable, and we took wickets in clusters," remarked K.L. Rahul before lifting the series-winning trophy.

Kuldeep Yadav (4-41) and Prasidh Krishna (4-66) both claimed four wickets each, capitalizing on the chance to bowl with a dry ball. Rahul was particularly pleased with Krishna's performance, who faced criticism after previous matches.

"We understand that teams that play aggressively can either chase down 400 or take unnecessary risks and get dismissed. Prasidh took crucial wickets, followed by Kuldeep. That's the strategy to contain teams in ODIs," explained Rahul, who scored half-centuries in the first two matches of the series.

He highlighted the importance of dismissing South African opener Quinton de Kock, who scored a century off 80 deliveries and posed a significant threat with the potential to escalate the scoring rate. If he had succeeded, South Africa might have set a daunting target for India.

"De Kock played exceptionally, scoring 100 out of around 160. It was much tougher for the newer batters, so his wicket was vital. The most gratifying aspect has been our ability to manage pressure. Throughout the matches, South African batters have challenged us. One outcome didn't favor us, but we remained focused on our plans and processes, which proved effective today," concluded Rahul during the post-match presentation.

India's next challenge will be a three-match T20I series against South Africa, with Suryakumar Yadav stepping in as captain. The next ODI series for India is scheduled in January 2026 against New Zealand.