AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn make their long-awaited return to the South Africa Test squad for the day-night four-day Test match against Zimbabwe to be played at St. George's Park, Port Elizabeth, from December 26 to 29.
From shining in age-group and league cricket in Chennai to a breakout season in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) before being fast-tracked into the state white-ball teams, things have moved rather swiftly for B Sai Sudharsan as he broke into the IPL.
Mayank Agarwal notched up his second hundred in as many Tests and combined with Cheteshwar Pujara to set up a platform for India to post a big first-innings total against South Africa in the second Test.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, in Dubai, on Monday.
His bowlers delivering the goods yet again while defending a modest total against Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant on Saturday claimed that their attack is one the best in the IPL.
As the 16th edition of the glitzy Indian Premier League is set to unfold, let's take a look at the driving force of the T20 league and what's in store in this edition.
Ahead of Saturday's event, here's a lowdown of ready references for the auction.
After storming to the title in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah said they desperately wanted to break the jinx of winning the title every two years.
With the national selection committee and the team management deciding to promote Rohit as an opener, keeping his spunky strokeplay in mind, the next five Tests could be a make or break for the 32-year-old stylish right-hander.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn took four wickets as South Africa seized control of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Day 2 and went to the close on 126 for four, an overall second innings lead of 170 runs.
IPL 2020 has been an exhibition of superb fielding and here are glimpses of some of those efforts...
Rabada and Kohli had a verbal exchange during one of the IPL matches between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Rajneesh Gupta previews Game 37 in IPL 12: Delhi Capitals vs Kings XI Punjab.
A look at the top performers in the IPL this year, who set the T20 tournament alight with outstanding performances this season.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was on Saturday appointed mentor of the new Lucknow franchise for IPL 2022.
Rabada was initially suspended for two matches by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after brushing against the shoulder of Smith after dismissing the batsman in the six-wicket second Test victory for South Africa in Port Elizabeth.
The South Africa pacer was found guilty of a level two International Cricket Council code of conduct offence of "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player" after shoulder-charging Australia captain Steve Smith when he dismissed him in the first innings.
'DC changed things around tonight by bowling with pace, taking pace off and varying it nicely, we weren't able to deal with that'
Rajneesh Gupta previews Game 13 in IPL 12: Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Capitals.
Mumbai Indians had roared back to form after thrashing RCB by five-wickets in the last game, there are problems aplenty for DC.
David Miller hit a superb 62 from 43 balls which helped Rajasthan Royals get back into the contest after a horror start.
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis revealed the key to getting his side over the line in a nervy Super 12 run chase against South Africa in the ongoing T20 World Cup was keeping his cool under pressure.
Rabada, the number one ranked Test bowler, could still play if he succeeds in his appeal against an International Cricket Council (ICC) decision to award him three demerit points for his reaction to dismissing Steve Smith in the second Test.
Delhi Capitals' new skipper Rishabh Pant says walking out with Mahendra Singh Dhoni for toss in their IPL opener was a special moment for him, as the Chennai Super Kings talisman is his "go-to man".
Delhi Capitals pacer Kagiso Rabada said it was not a 'bad call' to take him off after the first over as the strategy 'worked out'.
It was Marcus Stoinis at his destructive best on Monday as he took the RCB bowling apart in the final few overs.
His Delhi Capitals pace partner Kagiso Rabada might be sitting on top of the wicket-takers' list, but Anrich Nortje has undoubtedly been one of the standout performers with the ball in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League.
It may be an inconsequential game on paper but Indian bowlers await another tough test against South Africa ahead of the T20 World Cup when the two teams meet in the final game of the three-match series in Indore on Tuesday.
Images from Monday's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Dubai.
It remains to be seen if Rishabh Pant retains his place in the team after his shocking dismissal at a crucial stage in the second innings of the second Test.
Cheteshwar Pujara strongly believes in old adage 'form is temporary but class is permanent' and said it holds true for him and Ajinkya Rahane as their fluent half-centuries kept India in the hunt for a win in the second Test.
Sarfaraz, Imad Wasim dropped from Pakistan white-ball squad vs Australia.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar picked Rohit Sharma to lead India in T20 Internationals after Virat Kohli, while KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are his two options as the vice-captains in the shortest format.
Images from the T20 world Cup Super 12 match between Bangladesh and South Africa in Sydney on Thursday.
If you look at players like Virat Kohli and Kagiso Rabada, they all started playing U-19 cricket and representing their country in the U-19 World Cup, and look where they are today. A lot of the big players now started in the U-19 World Cup, and that is where you can get noticed and be seen by the world, says former South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini.
Top-ranked South Africa lost their three-match series to England 2-1 but former ICC U-19 World Cup star Rabada's haul of four for 39 in the final match at Lord's on Monday helped him finish the series with seven wickets and become the youngest number-one bowler since Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq in 1998.
The Pretoria wicket is likely to be similar, with perhaps not the same sideways movement of Newlands, and will provide another test of the Indian batsmen's bravery against a seam bowling barrage.
Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Trevor Bayliss has asserted that their pacer T Natarajan's positive COVID-19 result did not impact their performance against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday since all the players are used to last-minute setbacks.
'We have the likes of (captain) Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma, who have the ability to dig in and score big runs and I also like the way that Rassie (van der Dussen) has come in and grown in that team.'
Save for Quinton de Kock, who has retired from Test cricket and will play for Lucknow Super Giants, there is no certainty on whether Proteas pace attack of Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings), Nortje (DC), Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Lungi Ngidi (DC) will be available before the Test series against Bangladesh ends.
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