Both teams will hope to banish some unwanted baggage that has dogged them for years.
The second Test between India and South Africa ended in a damp draw after cyclonic rains and a wet outfield ensured not a single ball could be bowled for a fourth successive day at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
Skipper Virat Kohli blasted his second successive fifty and pacer Mitchell Starc picked up three wickets as Royal Challengers Bangalore notched up a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in their IPL encounter in Ahmedabad.
India's bowlers, led by Ravichandran Ashwin, displayed outstanding perseverance to end South Africa's dogged resistance and register a comprehensive 337-run victory in the final Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Monday.
It would be Pakistan-born Imran Tahir's first One-Day International against India.
South African batting coach Dale Benkenstein conceded that their batsmen have been unable to read Indian wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav during the ongoing ODI series as it is taking time to get adjusted to their change-ups.
South African captain AB de Villiers says he expects India to bounce back in the four-Test series starting on November 5.
New Zealand and South Africa played their hearts out in the first semi-final of the ICC World Cup at the Eden Park in Auckland on Tuesday, but it was the Black Caps who emerged triumphant by four wickets.
Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal ripped through the Royal Challengers Bangalore top order to help Rajasthan Royals win by 7 wickets for their first win in IPL 12.
Replays showed the Sri Lanka fast bowler had clearly overstepped the crease for a no-ball, meaning a free hit for Bangalore.
Senior India batsman Sachin Tendulkar is one of the five cricketers who have been shortlisted for the first LG People's Choice Award to be given away during the ICC prize distribution function in Bengaluru on October 6.
A century by Faf du Plessis and a first session in the middle for wicketkeeper AB de Villiers since hand surgery has left South Africa satisfied with preparations for the Test series against Australia.
No one is going to ask us if we played exceptional cricket when we win the World Cup.'
India skipper Virat Kohli and his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni are among the top players who are retained by their respective Indian Premier League franchises, Royal Challengers Bangalore and comeback outfit Chennai Super Kings respectively.
RCB have been inconsistent in their first six games in IPL-12, with both their bowling and batting faltering on many occasions.
Hashim Amla made a sparkling 154 and his opening partner Quinton de Kock a rapid 109 in a batting blitz that earned South Africa an 88-run victory over Sri Lanka at Centurion on Friday and a 5-0 whitewash in their one-day international series.
India's new record-holder wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has described Mahendra Singh Dhoni as 'the hero of the country' and said the former skipper taught him to be patient and handle pressure situations.
Ravichandran Ashwin displayed his magic yet again to record career-best figures of 7 for 66 as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series against South Africa after an emphatic 124-run victory in the third match in Nagpur on Friday.
Upset after losing the second Test match by 87 runs, South African captain Graeme Smith expressed his displeasure about the non-usage of Umpires' Decision Review System(UDRS) as two of his key batsmen --- AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher got out to debatable leg before decisions.
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is set to start a new innings after marrying childhood friend Shakshi Singh Rawat in Dehradun on Sunday night, continued to top the ICC ODI batsmen chart released in Dubai.
Virat Kohli slammed a brilliant 138 before the bowlers produced an impressive performance as India comfortably beat South Africa by 35 runs to level the series 2-2 in Chennai on Thursday.
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.
AB de Villiers became the first Delhi batsman and seventh overall to register a hundred in the IPL. He joined Adam Gilchrist, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shaun Marsh, Brendon McCullum, Andrew Symonds and Michael Hussey. His outstanding innings -- unbeaten 105 off 54 balls -- is also his first hundred in Twenty20.
Following are the statistical highlights of the Champions Trophy match between New Zealand and South Africa played in Centurion.
Batting ace Sachin Tendulkar was on Wednesday named 'Cricketer of the Year' at the ICC's awards function in Bangalore. Cricket's highest run-getter, who has 13,973 Test and 17,598 ODI runs to his name, also won the ICC People's Choice award.
Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Mark Boucher, Daryl Cullinan, and Faf Du Plessis are the other Proteas batsmen who have more than 4000 runs in Test cricket.
Many sportsmen are also good musicians. In cricket, though, the examples are few and far between. Rediff.com takes a look some.
Pakistan players did not find any spot in ICC Team of the Decade across all formats
Sunil Narine's blistering half-century made all the difference and paved the way for Kolkata Knight Riders' winning start in the Indian Premier League in Kolkata on Sunday, Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Mandeep Singh said.
RCB batting and fielding coach Trent Woodhill feels out-of-form West Indies opener Chris Gayle should take a cue from skipper Virat Kohli's batting and try regain his old touch.
Statistical highlights after the second week of the ongoing Indian Premier League.
Hashim Amla notched his 20th Test century but three wickets for 34-year-old debutant Zulfiqar Babar allowed Pakistan to restrict South Africa to 245 for eight on the opening day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Kedar Jadhav hit a half-century on debut to help Delhi Daredevils beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 17 runs in the Indian Premier League at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore, on Thursday. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra shone with the ball, claiming two for 23 in four overs as Bangalore finished on 166 for nine in their 20 overs.
Making an assessment is a tough task, particularly when the results aren't on expected lines. In the case of South Africa it is all the more inexplicable.
South Africa captain Hashim Amla hailed his team's uncharacteristically dogged batting in the fourth and final test against India even though it was not enough to avert their third loss in the four-match series. Set a daunting 481-run victory target, South Africa resorted to extraordinary stone-walling at Feroz Shah Kotla, blocking over after over in their desperate bid to prolong the contest.
Proteas batsman AB de Villiers says Rahul Dravid's non-availability for the Test series is a big blow for India, though it is Virender Sehwag who is worrying the South African think-tank the most.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith's inspirational leadership and prolific batting in the season gone by fetched him the twin honours of 'Cricketer of the Year' and 'Test Cricketer of the Year' at the country's annual cricket awards in Johannesburg.
Virat Kohli has managed to maintain his top spot among the ICC's list of ODI batsmen while his compatriot Ravindra Jadeja is among the top-five in both bowlers' and all-rounders' list.
Kane Williamson is the second New Zealand batsman after Glenn Turner to top the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen following a man of the match performance in the Hamilton Test against Sri Lanka, which helped the home side win by five wickets and take the series 2-0.
England ran out South Africa captain Graeme Smith among a burst of three quick wickets to reduce the hosts to 175 for five on the first day of the second Test on Saturday.
