Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
What Gambhir Wants: Players who are not playing to the gallery, care for dressing room
Rishabh Pant is struggling with the bat in IPL 2025 because of being 'stubborn' by not changing his batting order or approach despite the lack of runs, said former India player Ambati Rayudu.
Conversations might have been different if Pant got his execution right: Jansen
The last time two specialist keepers played together in a Test was in 1986, when Kiran More and Chandrakant Pandit featured in the same XI, with Pandit playing as a batter.
In India's first innings, only Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 97 balls) and Washington Sundar (48 off 92 balls) could contribute substantially as the home team suffered a batting collapse after starting the day at 9 for no loss.
South Africa are the World Test champions and skipper Temba Bavuma wants them to play like it and prove their credentials in the two-Test series against India beginning on Friday.
South Africa completed a memorable 2-0 series sweep against India after off-spinner Simon Harmer claimed 6/37 to bowl the Proteas to a comprehensive 408-run victory in the second Test,
Pant, looking super fit after a three-month injury layoff, took the field for India A against South Africa A at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Captain Rishabh Pant was fined Rs 24 lakh for LSG's slow over-rate against Mumbai Indians.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
The aura of home advantage -- long regarded as a hallmark of India's Test side -- seemed secure. But in barely over a year, that fortress has not just cracked, it has collapsed, raising uncomfortable questions about strategy, selection, and temperament.
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.
Vice-captain Rishabh Pant said India's batters should have adapted to the challenge of playing on a tricky pitch at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
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.
'Constant changes to the playing XI, batting orders, and frequent rotations prevent stability.'
'But I would say given the importance of this series and given the conditions we think we are going to face, he (Nitish Kumar Reddy) might miss out in this Test this week.'
A record-extending 52nd ODI century by Virat Kohli and a rapid 57 from Rohit Sharma paved the way for India's victory in the series-opener in Ranchi.
Rishabh Pant's IPL 2025 campaign hit a new low -both statistically and symbolically - on Sunday, at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
The 27-year-old suffered a fractured metatarsal during the Manchester Test in July, an injury that has sidelined him for months and ruled him out of the West Indies series and the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir mounted a strong defence of the tough Eden Gardens pitch despite losing to South Africa in the first Test.
The focus is to bring momentum back into the Indian dressing room: Morne Morkel
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.
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.
Nitish Reddy released from India squad for India A one day series
Sometimes you back your plans but execution doesn't go your way: Washington
Rishabh Pant's return to competitive cricket after a three-month injury-enforced hiatus will be the primary focal point of India A's four-day match against South Africa A.
Both franchises are owned by Sanjiv Goenka.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and South Africa, in Guwahati, on Saturday.
India have long curated home tracks that accentuate turn, but the assumption their own batters would master such conditions no longer appears safe following their defeat in the opening Test against South Africa.
The Supreme Court has said that selling land or property is not a service under the Finance Act, 1994, so such sales cannot be charged with service tax.
Former India batter Suresh Raina has backed under-fire national head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying the team's recent poor run in home Tests cannot be attributed to the support staff, as players must shoulder responsibility for the results.
'When you are playing on spin-friendly pitches, you need to prepare differently.'
Application required in Test cricket was missing, says Kumble after India's batting collapse
India will look to reprise their home template of big first-innings totals and sustained spin in the short two-Test series against South Africa beginning in Kolkata on Friday.
'It (the pitch) wasn't free-flowing. You felt comfortable, but the scoreboard wasn't going anywhere.'
Traditionally carved from top-quality willow, famous bat-makers, source the bulk of their willow wood from Kashmir.
K L Rahul on Saturday conceded that Indian batters' repeated struggles against spin, especially on home tracks, remain a concern.
South Africa pulled off a sensational victory inside three days of the opening Test against India on Sunday and the manner of it would go a long way in silencing those who doubted their credentials as the reigning world test champions.
India's awe-inspiring batting depth will face a stern test against South Africa's quality spin attack in the first Test, starting in Kolkata on Friday.
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