England broke its own record for the highest-ever score in the history of ODIs by making 498-4 against the Netherlands
India's head coach Rahul Dravid admitted that his team didn't play "smart cricket at crucial times", but backed the beleaguered K L Rahul to get better as a leader in the coming days.
Fast bowler Duanne Olivier has been recalled for South Africa's home Test series against India, a reward for excellent domestic form from a player who shot to prominence four years ago before taking up a Kolpak contract.
The veteran left-hander was unbeaten on 160 as Sri Lanka reached the close of play on 314 for five after captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and opted to bat.
The Indian team on Sunday began training for the decisive third and final Test against South Africa here, hoping to recover from the defeat in Johannesburg and claim its maiden series win in the Rainbow Nation.
India Test captain Virat Kohli has been phenomenal despite 'all the noise around him', head coach Rahul Dravid said on Sunday, lending support to the superstar batter.
'There is not much we can do as players, but there is that disparity in the number of games. We have to find a way mentally to meet the challenge.'
"I always believed that I would get another chance. I didn't know how to be honest as the Indian pacers were doing well over the past three to four years. I was getting inspired watching them, to be honest."
Chasing a competitive target of 191, Lewis smashed his way to an unbeaten 125 off 62 balls with as many as 12 sixes and six fours as the reigning World T20 champions knocked off the runs in only 18.3 overs.
Dravid said that he doesn't want to reveal his side to the opposition before the main day.
Quizzed whether batting will be easier in the final Test as it will be a red ball game again, he answered in affirmative.
The first five games of the ICC event have caused a lot of movement in the women's ODI player rankings with Australia skipper Meg Lanning climbing up two spots in the rankings for batters.
Sri Lanka had suffered crippling injuries to their bowling attack in the Test and were also without middle-order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva for the second innings, a major concern for their home series against England that starts on January 14.
'Now, we have very different setting including changes in rules with two new balls and the fielding restrictions are very different. But ODI fever started in the 1990s. On-field noticeable changes, early to mid 90s was okay, but from 1996 things changed at rapid pace.'
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
Panesar pointed out that Kohli would be under immense pressure to perform after losing his ODI captaincy to Rohit Sharma.
Former Australia batsman Neil Harvey, who made his Test debut at the age of 19 in Don Bradman's formidable 1948 side, has urged selectors to consider young talents Will Pucovski and Cameron Green for the upcoming series against India.
Ben Stokes returned to practice with England on Wednesday after the condition of his critically ill father improved, but three others missed out as illness continue to plague the tourists, 24 hours ahead of the first Test against South Africa at Centurion. Stokes spent Tuesday at the bedside of father Ged, who was hospitalised the day before due to a "serious illness".
Kagiso Rabada proved the destroyer-in-chief with 4-103, assisted by Anrich Nortje who took three wickets for 56 runs as England fell short by 107 runs.
Vaibhav Rawal scored a fine century before pacer Divij Mehra's dismantled Mumbai with a five-wicket haul to power Delhi to an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the Ranji Trophy Group B match.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 4th Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday
India head coach Rahul Dravid conceded that his team needs to do better at maintaining over-rate after being docked one WTC point following the first Test against South Africa, in Centurion, though he felt "leeway" can be given in certain cases.
Victorious India will seek more of the same when the second Test against South Africa starts at The Wanderers on Monday, but for the home side there is much to ponder as they try to level the series at a ground where they have never beaten the visitors.
Joe Root compiled his second straight century, an unbeaten 119, as England batted their way to a commanding position in the second Test against West Indies in Barbados on Wednesday.
Duanne Olivier exploded on to the Test scene four years ago and took 48 wickets in 10 Tests, at an average below 20, but then took up a Kolpak contract with English county Yorkshire that meant he was lost to South African cricket.
A summary of all the action from Ranji Trophy matches played on Wednesday.
Ruturaj Gaikwad blazed his way into the record books, smashing seven sixes in a 43-run over as Maharashtra outplayed Uttar Pradesh
'I would say Board president is Board president but yes the Indian cricket team captain is also a big thing. But talking badly about each other in public, I don't think it is a good thing, whether it is Sourav or Kohli.'
Slow over-rates in T20 Internationals will invite stricter penalties with the ICC on Friday announcing that teams which fail to keep up with the schedule will end up with one fielder less outside the 30-yard circle for the remainder of the innings, starting this month.
Shaw continued from his unbeaten 240 from overnight and brought up his triple ton.
A bottle cork was hurled at India's first-innings centurion K L Rahul from the spectators stand during the pre-lunch session while an English fan, dressed in India colours, entered the field before tea, in two separate incidents on the third day of the second Test, at Lord's, on Saturday.
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played on Friday.
South Africa have slipped to number six in the world, behind fifth-placed Sri Lanka, and have a host of questions to answer, not least around a brittle top six and the balance of the side.
South Africa have often relied on fast bowlers on spicy home wickets to get them to victory, but are also well aware that India have developed an excellent pace attack that has brought them overseas success in the last few years.
Besides a batting failure, India's skipper Virat Kohli listed inconsistency, lack of application, lapse in concentration and their inability to seize the crunch moments as reasons for the India's defeat in the three-match rubber, which the hosts prevailed 2-1.
Alastair Cook and Joe Root made centuries to lift England to a commanding 314 for four at the close on the first day of the second test against Pakistan on Friday.
'Always maintained I'm vegetarian. Take a deep breath and eat your Veggies.'
The 29-year-old, who signed a Kolpak deal with Yorkshire in 2019 only to return to the South African domestic circuit this season, returned figures of 3 for 64 as India were bowled out for 202 in 63.1 overs on Day 1 of the second Test, in Johannesburg, on Monday.
India stalwart Virat Kohli retained his second spot in the ICC men's ODI batting rankings on the back of his decent performance in the recently-concluded three-match series in South Africa.
New Zealand's Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel is relishing every bit of his dream homecoming after grabbing all the four wickets during the first day's play against India in the second Test, on Friday.
