The twin centuries from Virat Kohli have completely rewritten the script regarding the One-Day International to be held at Visakhapatnam, earlier it looked like a low-key fixture but now it has turned into one of the most-wanted events in the country. According to Andhra Cricket Association, it has rarely seen the demand spike the way it has over the last few days.
When the ticket sales for the third ODI between India and South Africa, scheduled for Sunday, opened sans fanfare on November 28, the response was tepid. The interest in the series seemed pretty lukewarm, with officials even considering going back to the offline counters despite trying to go completely digital this time.
But all that changed when Kohli stroked successive hundreds in Ranchi and Raipur on November 30 and December 3. Overnight, the fan interest shot up, reported the ACA. Tickets priced between INR 1,200 and INR 18,000 made no difference as the supporters thronged the online platform for a chance to get seats. Kohli’s phenomenal record in Visakhapatnam – an average of 97.83 in seven ODIs with three hundreds, a 99 and a 65 – is a big factor in the frenzy.
“The first phase of tickets went on sale on November 28. The response wasn’t good,” Y. Venkatesh from the ACA’s Media and Operations team told The Indian Express. “But after Kohli’s hundred at Ranchi, the second and third phases vanished in minutes. Nothing was left unsold.”
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Two days before the match, excitement spilled in the city’s airport where the fans gathered to greet the Indian Team. The fans wanted a glimpse of the Indian Team and stayed put despite the long wait and despite the passengers being irritated due to their own flight delays as soon as the Indian Team stepped in – the terminal erupted with cheers.
King Kohli in Vizag. pic.twitter.com/CisS9tkvyH
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) December 4, 2025
India will now play the third ODI at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium and with Kohli’s lethal form back all eyes will be on him and the India Team.
