In what should please the Indians, South African fast bowlers will be denied a green top in the first Test at Centurion as the curator fears that he could be in the line of fire if the visiting bowlers get to exploit it first.
A list of top 10 centurions from each Test playing nation.
Prolific opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden Test double hundred in the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, becoming the third youngest Indian to achieve the feat in his nascent-but-remarkable career.
Ben Duckett's hundred overshadowed Ravichandran Ashwin's monumental feat as England stormed to 207/2 at stumps on Day 2.
Former star spinner Harbhajan Singh picked Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of all-rounder Shardul Thakur for India's upcoming Boxing Day Test clash against South Africa in Centurion.
Mohammed Shami's absence will certainly leave a gaping hole in India's planning but former South African pacer Fanie de Villiers believes that Rohit Sharma's men have the best chance of ending a 31-year wait for a Test series win in the Rainbow Nation.
IMAGES from the Ranji Trophy final played between Mumbai and Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Roundup of Ranji Trophy matched played on Sunday
Amy Hunter became the youngest player to score an ODI century on Monday, when she hit an unbeaten 121 to guide Ireland victory over Zimbabwe on her 16th birthday, in Harare.
All that Sarfaraz Khan wanted since the beginning of his cricket journey as a six-year-old was to become an international player in front of his father.
England, with a series win already secured, can complete South Africa's ignominious fall from the top of the rankings when the final Test of the four-match series starts at Centurion Park in Pretoria on Friday.
Senior India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday described the Test rubber against England in 2012 as the turning point of his illustrious career as the humbling series defeat at home helped him "correct" his flaws.
Rohit Sharma's Candid Admission: India not good enough in World Cup final
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra scoring centuries in the same game is the first instance of two Kiwi batters scoring a century each in a World Cup match. It was also the first time two Kiwi batters scored a century each on World Cup debut.
For the golden generation of Indian cricketers, this is their last chance to conquest what no other team could on eight previous tours.
Jurel, Sarfaraz in line for debuts, Shubman Gill skips optional training
Nandre Burger, replacing injured Lungi Ngidi in the line-up, finished with match figures of 7-83
The freedom of impending retirement from the Test arena allowed South Africa opener Dean Elgar to produce one of his best innings.
Captain Rohit Sharma rates the seven-wicket victory in the Cape Town Test as one of India's 'best victories'.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the opening Test played between Australia and Pakistan in Perth on Saturday.
Karun Nair is only the second Indian to score a triple hundred in Test cricket.
South African opener Aiden Markram is of the opinion that the pitch at Supersport Park, although aiding more pace and bounce, will also be good for batsmen.
'You want a certain type of wicket when you play at home and when you don't get it you still have to perform. The guys have worked hard, they have toiled a little bit when they have had to'
The India pacer was more pleased about rectifying the mistakes he committed during the first Test against South Africa.
India will endeavour to become the only visiting side apart from England to win a Test match at SuperSport Park in Centurion when the three-Test series gets underway on Thursday.
South Africa have told the groundsman at Supersport Park at Centurion to leave some grass on the pitch to have a bit of bounce for the first Test against India starting on December 16, a report said.
Following Joe Root's shocking dismissal, England, after being well-placed on 224/2, lost their last eight wickets for 95 runs to be bowled out for 319
Cheteshwar Pujara continued his good form in Ranji Trophy as he slammed his second successive century as Saurashtra dominated their Elite Group A match against Manipur.
Head, who fractured his left hand during Australia's South Africa tour last month, missed his team's first four matches at the World Cup in India.
KL Rahul has always been confident about keeping wickets in Tests
An irate India captain Virat Kohli lost his cool and snapped at the scribes in a fiery media session after the series defeat against South Africa, his first reverse as full-time skipper.
The BCCI has also named one inter-squad for a three-day match slated for December 20 to 22.
SL all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga retires from Test cricket
Kagiso Rabada's hunger for success and an impeccable technique to release the ball easily makes him a modern-day South Africa legend, reckons former fast bowling great Allan Donald.
'We didn't bat well in both innings, that's why we stand here.'
India's emphatic win over England was a tailor-made series for the debutants. The absence of key players gave India the perfect opportunity to test their bench strength and boy, did the youngsters grab the chance with both hands!
'You have to move on quickly in international cricket as we now have another important series coming up'
After a two-hour delay, Powell put South Africa into bat in damp conditions and got immediate returns as key batsmen Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw departed cheaply.
Iyer is a player who primarily plays with hands with not much pronounced footwork.
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