IND vs SA 2025: De Kock’s stumps sent flying as Prasidh Krishna sparks hosts’ comeback in series decider

South African opener Quinton de Kock had his stumps shattered by Prasidh Krishna during the third ODI in Visakhapatnam on December 6. After an expensive start with the ball, Krishna staged an impressive comeback in his second spell to turn the momentum in India’s favour during the crucial series decider.

The wicket came in the 33rd over when Krishna delivered a full, pacey ball aimed at the stumps. De Kock, attempting to whip it across the line, failed to cover for the movement and was beaten on the inside edge. The ball crashed into the stumps, leaving them in disarray.

This dismissal marked Krishna’s third wicket in a fiery spell after being taken apart in his first two overs. Earlier in the same spell, he removed Aiden Markram for just one run and Matthew Breetzke for 24. The wicketkeeper-batter, however, was brilliant during his stay, scoring a superb 106 off 89 balls, including eight boundaries and six sixes.

In a notable moment before the action unfolded, India finally won an ODI toss after losing 20 consecutive tosses in the format. Remarkably, the Men in Blue had not won a single toss in ODIs since the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup. Their streak of bad luck began from the final of the mega event in Ahmedabad, where they lost to Australia after an unbeaten run to the summit clash.

As for the series, the hosts clinched the opening ODI by 17 runs in Ranchi, but South Africa bounced back strongly with a four-wicket victory in Raipur, successfully chasing a steep 359-run target. The final ODI in Visakhapatnam set up a thrilling decider with both teams showing flashes of dominance throughout the series. Following the conclusion of the ODI leg, India and South Africa will shift focus to the five-match T20I series set to begin on Tuesday, December 9 in Cuttack, which will wrap up the all-format tour.