Kagiso Rabada regained his top spot among bowlers crossing the coveted 900-point mark in ratings even as Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin climbed up a couple of notches to be placed fourth in the ICC Test Player Rankings, released on Tuesday.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis defended Quinton de Kock again on Thursday, suggesting Australia's opening batsman David Warner had crossed a line in his sledging of the wicketkeeper in the tempestuous first Test.
The countries will pin their hopes of victory on their quicks with seamer friendly wickets on order for the Tests in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and the contests set to be dominated by fiery exchanges of fast bowling.
Jos Buttler struck a rapid century as England beat South Africa by 39 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method in a high-scoring first One-day International marred by rain on Wednesday.
Veteran Brad Hodge smashed two sixes in the final over to propel Australia to a five-wicket victory over South Africa in a second Twenty20 international reduced to seven overs a side in Durban on Wednesday.
David Warner thumped a run-a-ball century as Australia dominated the opening day of the third and final Test against South Africa, piling up 331 for three at Newlands on Saturday.
The perennial fitness battles of Shane Watson are likely to rule the all-rounder out of Australia's second Test against South Africa.
Disgraced Australia former vice-captain David Warner's wife Candice blamed herself for her husband's part in the ball-tampering scandal, adding that the taunts they faced in South Africa took a huge toll.
Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada claimed four wickets each as South Africa ripped out Sri Lanka for 110 on the second day of the second Test.
South Africa need five wickets on Friday to secure victory in the first Test after Sri Lanka provided dogged resistance and were 240 for five at stumps on the fourth day at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth.
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.
India secured their first ever series win in South Africa across formats when they beat the hosts by 73 runs in the fifth ODI on Tuesday.
When Vinoo Mankad ran out Bill Brown, he created cricketing history -- and eternal controversy.
India captain Virat Kohli remained in second spot behind Steve Smith while Alastair Cook jumped nine places to be eighth in the latest ICC Test rankings after his unbeaten double century in the ongoing Ashes.
A 15-year-old South African girl was deboarded from a flight to Turkey moments before she was allegedly trying to flee the country to join the dreaded Islamic State militant group.
The home side have a narrow advantage of 20 runs with the brilliant De Villiers on 74 from 81 balls and all-rounder Vernon Philander to resume on 14 in the search for what could be crucial first innings runs in an engrossing contest.
A look at Royal Challengers Bangalore's IPL record over the years.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) congratulated South Africa's Graeme Smith for his glorious career, saying he has been an inspiring sportsman and would go down in cricket's history as one of its most respected captains.
Kagiso Rabada claimed a six-wicket haul on Thursday as South Africa bowled Sri Lanka out for 224 in their second innings to win the second Test by 282 runs with a day and a half to spare and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Sri Lanka failed to last the first session of the fourth day at Newlands, having resumed on 130-4 and being dismissed after just over 100 minutes of play.
Dean Elgar's century and a quick-fire unbeaten 68 from Quinton de Kock lifted South Africa to 297 for six on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Newlands on Monday.
South Africa's bowlers needed a little more than an hour of the final day's play to dismiss Sri Lanka for 281 in their second innings and claim a 206-run victory in the first Test in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
'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'
Opener Dean Elgar hit an unbeaten 60 as South Africa coasted to a comfortable eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the final Test at Newlands on Tuesday to take the three-match series 2-0 and retain their ranking as the top side in Tests.
As India go in to the four-match Test series against Australia that commences in Adelaide on Tuesday, here is a factbox.
Buttler has been 'Mankaded' twice
India's tour of South Africa later this year will commence with the visitors playing Twenty20 and 50-over internationals against the hosts before taking them on in a three-Test series.
Ben Stokes claimed a wicket for England in the first session of the third cricket test at the Wanderers on Thursday, but South Africa dealt with the early swing from the bowlers and advanced to 73 for one at lunch. South African wicketkeeper Dane Vilas was forced to make a desperate dash to the ground, including a police escort from the airport, after being called up as a late replacement for the injured Quinton de Kock. Stiaan van Zyl was the only wicket to fall for South Africa as he top-edged an attempted pull straight up in the air and was caught by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow off Stokes' bowing for 21.
A look at the Kolkata Knight Riders's IPL record over the years.
India beat South Africa by 124 runs in the third Test in Nagpur,inside three days, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series on Friday. Rajneesh Gupta presents interesting numbers from day three of Nagpur Test.
Captain Michael Clarke has indicated that Shane Watson will not return to the Australia side as a specialist batsman for the second Test against South Africa at St George's Park on Thursday.
A spectacular collapse has raised the prospect of a nervous finale for a brittle West Indies after they finished on 275 for nine on day four of the second Test against South Africa on Monday.
South Africa's hopes of victory on day five of the second Test against West Indies were thwarted in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday by heavy overnight rain and a wet outfield which prevented any play.
He has got a habit of saving his best for the last but Australia opener Chris Rogers this time wants to score a century first up - on the opening day of the upcoming Boxing Day cricket Test against India in Melbourne starting December 26.
South Africa's Temba Bavuma was left stranded on 95 not out as they tightened their grip over scandal-hit Australia after reducing the hapless visitors to 110 for six at the close on the second day of the fourth and final Test on Saturday.
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.
South Africa have named teenage speedster Kagiso Rabada in a 14-man squad for their three-match home Test series against West Indies, Cricket South Africa announced on Tuesday.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers featuring the West Indies team from the World Cups.
South Africa removed the West Indian openers in Sunday's last session at Newlands to build on AB de Villiers' superb century and take the initiative in the final Test.
Ryan Harris says there is no panic in the Australian camp before the series-deciding third Test against South Africa starting in Cape Town on Saturday.
Factbox on major ball-tampering incidents in international cricket in the wake of South Africa being penalised five runs during the second test against Pakistan in Dubai on Friday for attempting to alter the state of the ball:
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