Yesterday, Men in Blue registered their first victory over South Africa in South Africa. As India win fifth ODI match of the 6 match ODI series 73 runs and achieved an unbeatable 4-1 lead in the six-match series. The final match of the series will be played on Friday. Not only this with this win, India rallied to their ninth successive bilateral ODI series victory. India’s previous longest bilateral winning streak was of six series between November 2007 and June 2009.
The team India takes over Australia’s record of winning 8 consecutive bilateral series in Australia. In the case of winning consecutive one-day series, the West Indies team is on the no. 1 position in which it has won 14 consecutive ODI series between 1980 and 1988.
Most Consecutive victory by teams in bilateral series
| Series | Teams | Time Span |
| 14 | WI | (May 1980 to March 1988) |
| 9* | IND | (June 2016 to February 2018) |
| 8 | AUS | (April 2009 to June 2010) |
| 7 | Pak | (January 2011 to February 2012) |
| 7 | SA | (August 2015 to February 2017) |
List of India’s 9 Consecutive ODI series wins
| Series | Season | Margin |
| India in Zimbabwe | 2016 | 3-0 (3) |
| New Zealand in India | 2016/17 | 3-2 (5) |
| England in India | 2016/17 | 2-1 (3) |
| India in West Indies | 2017 | 3-1 (5) |
| India in Sri Lanka | 2017 | 5-0 (5) |
| Australia in India | 2017/18 | 4-1 (5) |
| New Zealand in India | 2017/18 | 2-1 (3) |
| Sri Lanka in India | 2017/18 | 2-1 (3) |
| India in South Africa | 2017/18 | 4-1* (6) |
Key Contributors in the Series
Kohli became the first Indian captain to win an ODI series in South Africa. His contributions have been commendable – 429 runs in five innings, with two centuries and a half-century. Shikhar Dhawan has scored 309 runs in the series.
And in the bowling department the deadly duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal with 16 and 14 wickets respectively both become nightmare for South African batsman as they were clueless in four games out of 5 ODIs, in tackling them. In the first ODI, this spin duo took 5, 8 in the second ODI, 8 in the third ODI, 3 in the fourth ODI and 6 wickets in the fifth ODI. Overall, South Africa’s 30 batsmen were dismissed by both of these spin bowlers in the series.
India won the ODI series for the first time in South Africa and the win was not as easy; as India had to wait long for this ODI series victory on South African soil. It came after six tours, dating back to 1992. That first series in South Africa was won by the hosts 5-2. Successive tours in 1996-97 (0-4), 2000-01 (a triangular series also featuring Kenya, where India were beaten in the final), 2006-07 (0-4), 2010-11 (2-3) and 2013-14 (0-2) all ended in frustration.
India finished the last year in ODIs with 21 wins from 29 matches and only seven defeats. Their win-loss ratio of 3:1 this year is their best in any calendar year.
