Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from Day 1.
The Proteas' performance in the recent series against Pakistan in Dubai augured well for the 2015 World Cup but their real test will be the upcoming home series against India, according to former captain Kepler Wessels.
The overhaul of South Africa's coaching structure has given the team a major boost as they get ready to take on England in a four-Test series which begins on Thursday, captain Faf du Plessis said. Meanwhile, veteran pacer James Anderson will be back on the frontline for England, for what will be his 150th Test.
Cheteshwar Pujara gained a spot to be the highest-ranked Indian batsman at seventh even as R Ashwin remained steady eighth in the bowlers' list of the latest ICC Test rankings released on Sunday.
Pakistan were awarded a five-run penalty and the ball was changed on the third day of the second Test against South Africa in Dubai on Friday. Umpire Ian Gould signalled five runs to Pakistan after talking to South African captain Graeme Smith during Pakistan's second innings.
Vernon Philander's brilliant all-round show played a major role in South Africa's recovery against India on the second day of the first Test.
AB de Villiers, called time on his illustrious international career, claiming to be 'out of gas' after 14 years in the top league.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the interesting numbers from the match:
South Africa's most successful Test captain Graeme Smith is not sure if Virat Kohli can be a long-term leader for India and feels the star batsman's leadership skills are not challenged enough by the team management.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the fourth Test between South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Come February, the longstanding rivalry between Virender Sehwag and Shoaib Akhtar will be renewed but this time it will play out on an ice field rather than on a cricket ground.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban on Saturday.
Two candidates appear to have the strongest claims - AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis - both already captains of the national side in the shorter formats of the game.
South African batsmen AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis are the only candidates to replace retiring captain Graeme Smith as the Test skipper of their team, according to a report.
'Experience is the key. There are basically two ways to read leg-break bowling. Either you pick up from the wrists or wait for the ball to pitch. No two batsmen would employ the same technique'
Following the hard-earned four-wicket victory against West Indies on Friday, Mahendra Singh Dhoni became India's most successful captain in One-Day Internationals played away from home.
'If a few words from the opposition trouble you,' S Sreesanth tells Harish Kotian/Rediff.com, 'then you shouldn't be playing international cricket.'
Paceman Dale Steyn returned from a brief vacation to inspire South Africa and spinner Imran Tahir took four wickets as they throttled Pakistan's batsmen to win the third one-day international in Abu Dhabi by 68 runs on Wednesday.
Openers Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen weathered a difficult 45 minutes to take South Africa to tea at 38 without loss chasing an unlikely victory target of 458 on the fourth day of the first Test against India at the Wanderers on Saturday.
He is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of the modern era. Extreme pace with the ability to swing the ball both ways makes Dale Steyn a complete pacer. The South African speedster reflects on his 11-year old career at the international stage. How did the dream of playing cricket begin for you and when did it start taking shape? I was about 10 or so when I first came in contact with cricket. I was visiting my family in Zimbabwe and played the game in the backyard. And I remember when I got back to school after the vacations in January, everyone seemed to be playing this crazy sport called cricket. I joined the party and since then there has been no looking back. Why fast bowling? I did everything when I was growing up. I was an opening batter in primary school, but fast bowling was one thing that I was always better at than anybody else. I started playing Men's club cricket at a very young age. I was like this little 14-year old playing against full grown men who were 25 years and upwards. You know, you start to get this confidence that you can get grown men out. Your own teammates fill you up with a lot of confidence when they see you get a great batsman out. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Northern Titan Cricket Academy. This was the same time when the 2003 World Cup was on and I got a chance to bowl to all the international pros who came for practice, made them jump around a little bit and built confidence from there.
Shakya Mitra ponders why top batsmen like Michael Clarke bowing out early.
India captain Virat Kohli says the responsibility of leading the team motivates him to push his limits in testing conditions which eventually helps him score big Test hundreds.
In Australia, Warner said cricketers do not have many options apart from training in their home states as of now.
Skipper Kane Williamson and fellow opener Martin Guptill forged the highest partnership in Twenty20 Internationals to secure New Zealand a series-levelling 10-wicket victory against Pakistan in the second match in Hamilton on Sunday.
Captain Hashim Amla emerged from a year of poor form with a dogged century to lead a South Africa fight back in the second Test against England on Monday.
England captain Alastair Cook is still hurting after the Test series defeat by Pakistan but believes his side are equipped to strike back against the world's number one team in South Africa. As he prepared to fly out with his team to South Africa on Thursday, Cook, who has never won a Test series against the Proteas, described just how important a victory will be."It would mean a huge amount to beat the world number one nation in their backyard," the 30-year-old, leading the current fifth-ranked Test nation, told a news conference. "That's the challenge we've got ahead of us.
West Indian batting great Viv Richards has been voted as the greatest ODI player in the history of the game ahead of India's cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in an online poll.
South African player Vernon Philander has reportedly taken the No.1 spot on the ICC player rankings for Test all-rounders, replacing India's R Ashwin.
Kevin Pietersen is not the only one trying to work out why he is unwanted by England's cricket selectors.
Ganguly, Ponting among commentators for Champions Trophy.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to describe Ian Bell's omission from England's squad for the tour of South Africa as 'ridiculous' and 'pathetic'.
Statistical highlights on the fifth and final day of the opening Test match between India and Sri Lanka, in Kolkata, on Monday.
Virender Sehwag has announced his international retirement. The batsman made the announcement in Dubai on Monday, ahead of joining the Masters Champions League.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the numbers from the first Test.
Ryan Harris claimed the last two wickets at the fag end of the match as South Africa were bowled out for 265 and lost the third and final Test by 245 runs at Newlands on Wednesday. Australia won the series 2-1.
Dale Steyn produced a ferocious spell of fast bowling to inspire South Africa to a crushing 231-run victory over Australia in fading light on day four of the second Test on Sunday.
Mitchell Johnson took his match haul to 10 after claiming three South Africa wickets on Saturday as Australia reduced the hosts, facing a 482-run target for victory, to 132 for five in the first Test.
Late call-up Shaun Marsh scored an unbeaten century in his first Test in two years to lead a middle-order recovery as Australia closed at 297 for four on the first day of the first Test against South Africa on Wednesday.
Captain Graeme Smith scored the winning runs as South Africa knocked off a modest 58-run target to beat India by 10 wickets in the second Test at Kingsmead in Durban and win the two-match series 1-0.
India are on cusp of a first ever series win on South African soil across formats as they lead 3-0 in the six-match ODI series.
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