Cricket fever catching up in Vizag as Ro-Ko returns for India-South Africa ODI

As the much-awaited One Day International (ODI) match between India and South Africa scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam nears, cricket fever is catching up in the city.

The fans cannot wait to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action. The excitement is palpable as the first lot of 22,000 tickets for the match scheduled for December 6 at Dr. YSR ACA VDCA International Cricket Stadium was booked online within an hour after Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) opened the sale on Friday.

The second lot of tickets will be available for booking at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The last time India played an ODI in Visakhapatnam was in March 2023 against Australia. Over the past two and a half years, Team India has played T20 internationals and a Test match in February 2024, but not a single onedayer.

Following the sale of the first batch on Friday, many fans expressed disappointment at missing out on tickets. They hope to secure tickets on Sunday. Many fans complained about long queues, making it impossible for them to complete the purchase.

As Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are playing in one format (ODI) only , fans are eager to watch them in action.

“We cannot miss watching Virat and Rohit on the field. They are playing ODI only. Though we hope they play until the 2027 World Cup, we do not know how many ODIs will be scheduled until then, that too in Visakhapatnam. One-dayers are rare these days. I am happy that I managed to get a ₹2,000 ticket. I have been waiting since morning,” said K. Lakshman, a fan.

But V. Usha was not lucky. “I waited for almost two hours. My queue number was around 22,000. I will try my luck on Sunday. How can you miss Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, especially when when they are in your city?” she said.

Virat Kohli has a great record at the Vizag stadium, with four centuries (three in ODIs and one in Tests), while Rohit Sharma has scored a double century and a century in Tests, as well as one century in ODIs, at the same venue.

V. Sarath said he could not get a ticket. “I will do everything to get a ticket, even if it comes at double or triple the price. You do not see legends (Rohit and Virat) playing in your city everyday,” he said.