South Africa have recalled fast bowler Kyle Abbott for the second Test against India in his home town of Durban starting on Boxing Day (December 26).
Marlon Samuels was out for 94 as West Indies finished on 281-4 against South Africa in the first Test.
Paceman Vernon Philander became the fastest South African to take 100 Test wickets on Friday but India can claim the ascendancy at lunch on the third day of the first Test at the Wanderers.
Two Indian batsmen are now in the top five of the ICC ODI rankings, with Virat Kohli remaining at number three and opener Shikhar Dhawan climbing up the ladder to fifth after earning four places in the latest list issued on Wednesday.
Captain Virat Kohli roared back to form with a scintillating unbeaten 83 as India further consolidated their position with whopping overall lead of 403 runs at stumps on Day 3 of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Saturday.
Proteas coach Russell Domingo has said that the three-match ODI series against No.1 ranked India will be a good gauge of the progress his squad has made in recent months, according to reports.
New Zealand, who won the toss and chose to bat, lurched to 187-8 before bad light ended play three overs after tea.
Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis shared an unbroken century stand to put South Africa in control of the first Test with a lead of 287 runs against New Zealand on Friday. South Africa reached close of play on the second day on 179-2. Amla, who was dropped on two, was 85 not out with Kallis on 76 in a partnership of 159.
South Africa, chasing 161 to win, were 36 for two at the end of the second day of the third Test.
Following his return to form in the abruptly-ended West Indies series, Indian batsman Virat Kohli claimed the number two slot in the ICC rankings while swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar broke into the top-10 for the first time in his career.
Sri Lanka fought back to 321 in the first innings having been reduced to 86 for five against South Africa.
The hosts have suffered a body blow with Jacques Kallis pulling out of the squad because of a back strain.
The auction ahead of the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League had in store something on expected lines and some surprises. Here's a look at the top buys after the first round.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a sparkling unbeaten 135 as India took a stranglehold over South Africa in the first Test in Johannesburg on Friday. The top-order displayed remarkable application on Day 3, as the tourists, after dismissing the hosts for 244 in the first innings, swelled their overall lead to 320.
Though Nobel Prize nominations have been a secret for 50 years, speculation abounds over the contenders for this year's prize in economics.
The final margin might appear closer but it was because the hosts pressed in service some irregular bowlers.
With the teams entering the final phase of their preparations for next year's World Cup, former batting great Ian Chappell said defending champions India, Australia and South Africa are the favourites to win the game's showpiece event.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup
South Africa have named uncapped batsman Theunis de Bruyn in their injury-hit squad for the three-match home Test series against Sri Lanka that starts on December 26.
Australia's Dale Begg-Smith collected his country's first medal of the Games and third gold in Winter Olympics history with victory in the moguls.
Drafted into the team for the first time in the ongoing cricket World Cup, Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed made an instant impact with a record-equalling six catches and 49 runs in the team's upset win over South Africa in Auckland.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's New Zealand import Trent Boult is hoping that Indian conditions will help him carry forward the good work he did during the recently-concluded ICC World Cup.
Four-time world champion John Higgins of Scotland reigned supreme on the green baize as he thrashed England's Joel Walker 4-0 to enter the second round of the Indian Open World Ranking Snooker tournament in New Delhi.
South Africa reclaimed top spot in the Test rankings after grimly hanging on for a draw in the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, on Monday to win the series 1-0.
New Zealand, set 249 to win, were in desperate trouble at 98 for seven against South Africa
Legendary South African batsman Barry Richards feels Virat Kohli is a few notches above his contemporaries in the Indian team but still has some way to go before one can compare him with the iconic Sachin Tendulkar.
South Africa captain Hashim Amla feels frustrated over 'bizarre' rain-hit series against Bangladesh.
Six out of the 10 days in the entire series were thus lost to rain, questioning the logic behind scheduling the tour during monsoon season
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
China is only three to five years behind India in software development, steadily closing the gap on the strength of better technology and learning from its competitor's mistakes, says a California-based IT industry expert.
Check out how the players released by the IPL franchises fared in the last edition of the tournament in 2015.
It will be interesting to see if India bring back regular opener Shikhar Dhawan for the crucial semi-final match against South Africa or persist with Ajinkya Rahane at the ICC World T20.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the finest bowling heroics in the 20th over in recent T20Is.
PCB Chairman, Najam Sethi is in the UK meeting with the British legal firm for advise. PCB's chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmad has also flown to London for the same purpose.
It's the most anticipated debut of a Seattle building since the first visitors rode elevators to the top of the Space Needle 56 years ago. Welcome to the Seattle Spheres -- Amazon's trio of steel-and-glass buildings crammed with more that 400 different plant species, which will officially open on January 30. Take a tour of the one-of-a-kind-building where the workers of the online retail giant will chill in a rainforest.
IMAGES from Saturday's English Premier League matches.
South Africa recalled hard-hitting all-rounder Albie Morkel on Monday in their squad for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh starting next month.
An enviable nine-year overseas record of 10 Test series wins in 14 rubbers by South Africa is under serious threat by India when the two teams face-off in the third and penultimate game of the current series at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha in Nagpur from Wednesday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances