05 December 2025 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : A pair of Virat Kohli centuries has transformed what was shaping up to be a lukewarm One-Day International in Vizag into one of the hottest tickets in the country, triggering an extraordinary surge in demand that the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) says it has rarely witnessed.
The initial sale of tickets for the third ODI between India and South Africa — scheduled for Sunday — drew little interest when the first phase went live on November 28. With the series struggling to grip public attention, officials even considered opening physical counters after going fully digital this time.
Everything changed the moment Kohli struck back-to-back hundreds in Ranchi and Raipur on November 30 and December 3. The ACA says the turnaround was instant.
“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.”
Prices ranging from ₹1,200 to ₹18,000 did little to deter fans, who flooded the ticketing platform once the former India captain rediscovered his supreme ODI touch. Much of the frenzy has to do with Kohli’s staggering record in Visakhapatnam, where he averages 97.83 in seven ODIs with three centuries, a 99, and a 65.
Two days before the match, anticipation spilled over to the city’s airport, where enthusiastic supporters gathered hours in advance to welcome the Indian team. They waited through multiple delays as the squad’s flight from Raipur was pushed back repeatedly. By late afternoon, security personnel were exhausted from fielding the same question in several languages: “When are they landing?”
Kohli’s fans kept their vigil even as the delay stretched. The flight finally departed Raipur around 6 pm, triggering another round of excitement in Visakhapatnam.
The scene at Raipur Airport earlier in the day had been equally chaotic. Passengers frustrated by flight delays reportedly abandoned arguments with airline staff the moment the Indian players appeared. As Kohli and his teammates stepped onto the escalator, the terminal erupted in cheers, with travellers whipping out phones to capture a glimpse of the team. Within minutes, the mood flipped back to anger over flight issues — a fleeting emotional swing that summed up the magnetic hold India’s cricketers have on the public.
By the time the team touched down in Vizag on Thursday night, the frenzy had only intensified. For now, the city is bracing for a packed Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, with Kohli at the heart of the excitement once again.
Summary
According to reports, Virat Kohli’s presence alone caused ticket sales for the match to surge dramatically. Fans were so excited to see him that many forgot their frustration over long flight delays at the airport. The “Kohli effect” once again highlighted his massive draw and unmatched popularity among cricket fans.