Amid swirling rumours of tension between them, Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku Singh have set the record straight with a heartwarming gesture of friendship.
As questions swirled around dropped catches, poor captaincy calls, and a one-dimensional bowling attack, former players didn't hold back.
Marco Jansen demolished the Indian batting line-up with a six-wicket haul before South Africa extended their lead on Day 3 of the second and final Test.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
India A skipper Rishabh Pant will look to build on the gains from the first match, while the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav will aim for crucial red-ball game time in the second four-day match against a Temba Bavuma-led South Africa A in Bengaluru from Thursday.
Conversations might have been different if Pant got his execution right: Jansen
Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India's preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his 'competition' with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his "A-game" to the fore, strengthening the side.
Marco Jansen smashed the records held by legends Matthew Hayden and Vivian Richards for the most sixes hit by an overseas batter in a Test innings in India.
"He needs to rotate strike, keep the scoreboard moving": Pathan on Virat ahead of 3rd Sydney ODI
The Punjab Congress has suspended Navjot Kaur Sidhu from its primary membership after she made a controversial remark about the chief minister's chair costing Rs 500 crore.
The Indian team management has kept the media guessing but Rishabh Pant is set to become India's 38th Test captain.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul perished early as India fumbled in the chase of a mammoth 549-run target on Day 4 of the second Test.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and South Africa, in Kolkata, on Friday.
The right-arm seamer Sen and wicketkeeper-batter Vinod, both were a part of the PBKS side which lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final, did not feature in any of the matches of the 2025 edition.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Sunday.
Rishabh Pant was ruled out for nearly three months after he fractured his foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.
The T20 WC champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
Virat Kohli has two hundreds and a fifty in his last three innings, while Rohit Sharma has a hundred and two fifties in his last four outings.
South Africa were dealt a major blow before the first ball was even bowled, with pace ace Kagiso Rabada ruled out of the opening Test against India due to a rib injury.
For the first time in many years, India are going into a home Test match as underdogs and not favourites. Ask any player worth his salt and he would tell that it is not a happy place to be.
Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad hundreds help India set 359-run target in second ODI
Gill may miss ODI series due to unhealed neck injury; Rahul, Pant in line for ODI captaincy
Kuldeep Yadav is one match-winner India can't afford to leave out for the upcoming Test series in England and the wrist spinner should be picked ahead of batting all-rounders, reckon former selectors and coaches.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
On a surface offering little assistance for bowlers, South Africa's top order had frittered away starts but number seven Muthusamy marshalled a lower-order surge with a composed 109.
'Jassi bhai just told me that the wicket-taking option was if you bowl at the stumps...'
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak explained the team's rationale behind playing an all-rounder at No 8 rather than fielding a specialist bowler.
Simon Harmer picked up four wickets as South Africa staged an incredible fightback to shock India by 30 runs in a low-scoring first Test match.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
Rishabh Pant's place in the playing eleven is far from guaranteed, while Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are locked in a tight contest for the additional all-rounder's slot as India confront several selection dilemmas ahead of the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi.
KKR, CSK to engage in bidding war in IPL mini-auction with big purse in hand
Simon Harmer led South Africa's lion-hearted bowling effort as the Proteas registered a thrilling 30-run victory against India inside three days of the low-scoring opening Test.
Images from Day 5 of the second and final Test between India and South Africa, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, on Wednesday.
Grind pays off for Ruturaj Gaikwad, now upto him and luck to prove his 50-over mettle.
The track is historically a high-scoring one and the outfield is quick. But on a red soil surface, the ball grips and can surprise the batters.
The Hindi word bauna is commonly used for those suffering from dwarfism, but its also used as a taunt for someone who is simply short in height.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
Daryl Mitchell becomes only the second player from New Zealand to hold the top the ICC ranking for ODI batters.
Suryakumar Yadav-led India ready for Aussie challenge as T20 World Cup preparation begins.
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