After losing their 19th consecutive ODI toss, India batted first and got off to a strong start, with Rohit and Kohli putting together a century-plus partnership.
The first ODI in Ranchi was a pulsating contest, with India narrowly defeating South Africa by 17 runs in a high-scoring affair.
Kohli last appeared in a domestic 50-over match for Delhi in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in September 2013, while his previous Vijay Hazare Trophy outing dates back to the 2009-10 season.
Rana, who took 3/65 in the first ODI against South Africa, including two early breakthroughs, admitted he lost some control in the death overs but is committed to improving.
The second ODI will take place on Wednesday at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
Sarfaraz unleashed his hard-hitting strokeplay vs Assam . He hit seven sixes and eight boundaries to complete his fiery hundred.
Opening the innings for Bihar, Vaibhav crafted a magnificent unbeaten 108 off 61 balls, guiding his team to 176/3 in 20 overs.
One surprising omission from the longlist is Glenn Maxwell. The Australian allrounder, bought by Punjab Kings for INR 4.2 crore last year, is recovering from a fractured finger.
Earlier in November, the three players were felicitated at Rail Bhawan by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw
India's aggressive batting approach, which has brought a lot of success, is credit to former captain Rohit Sharma and ex-head coach Rahul Dravid, according to Ravichandran Ashwin.
The West Indies will be strengthened by the return of veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach, whose experience and skill with the new ball add depth to their bowling unit.
Hardik is set to play his first match in nearly two and a half months in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), representing Baroda against Punjab on Tuesday in Hyderabad.
Gavaskar reminded fans of the positive collaboration between the two cricketing nations, noting India's role in South Africa's re-entry into international cricket after more than 20 years of isolation
Kohli on Sunday brought up his 52nd ODI century, amassing 135 off 120 balls to help India post 349 for 8 against South Africa in the first ODI.
The Bengaluru man also lauded Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav for keeping their nerves in a high-scoring match.
For Virat Kohli, the mental aspect of batsmanship visualising game situations, feeling intense and sharp at the same time holds more value than over-preparation which has never been his philosophy.
Opening after winning the toss, the left-hander hit top gear instantly, storming to a 12-ball fifty, dismantling his former SunRisers Hyderabad teammate Mohammed Shami for 23 runs in a single over.
Rohit broke Afridi's record of most ODI sixes in his 57-run innings before Kohli scored his record 52nd ODI ton to help India secure the series lead
Kohli is now 17 centuries away from Sachin's record of 100 international centuries
The live telecast for the 1st ODI between India and South Africa will be available on Star Sports Network in India