Former skipper Graeme Smith on Friday dropped in at South Africa's training session, continuing an interesting trend of ex-captains visiting their teams with bagful of wisdom ahead of matches against India.
India's head coach Ravi Shastri, on Monday, heaped special praise on Virat Kohli after he notched up his 50th International century in Kolkata and said "sky is the limit" for the skipper who stands at the halfway stage in equalling Sachin Tendulkar's feat.
South Africa's hopes of a semi-final place at the Cricket World Cup appear to have been washed out along with their fixture against the West Indies at the Rose Bowl on Monday.
Fast bowler Anrich Nortje, wicketkeeper/batsman Rudi Second and spin bowling all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy have been included in the 15-man squad that will be captained by Faf du Plessis.
For a visiting cricketer, an India tour conjures up the image of a batsman surrounded by a shoal of fielders and facing relentless spin from both ends and South Africa should not expect anything different in the four-test series starting on Thursday.
The third and final Test between South Africa and India will resume as per schedule on Day 4 despite the controversy-filled third day when play was stopped early because of a dangerous pitch at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday.
South Africa captain Faf Du Plessis admitted that it is normal to get distracted by the weekend's Indian Premier League auctions as the cash-rich T20 event 'plays a big part in their lives'.
South Africa coach Russell Domingo said that a couple of crucial partnerships and performance of the spinners were the key to India's success in the fourth One-Day International in Chennai.
The visitors won the first two matches of the series in Durban and Centurion by six and nine wickets, respectively, dismantling the home side with consummate ease.
Tainted former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif says he wasn't the first nor would be the last to have indulged in spot-fixing and should have been treated better by the Pakistan Cricket Board, which gave "everyone a second chance" except for him. Asif was banned for seven years for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal during Pakistan's tour of England, where he bowled deliberate no balls for money. He also served jail time in the UK after being found guilty along with Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt.
South Africa showed why they are the No 1 Test team in the world with a clinical performance on day four of the second Test against Pakistan to clinch the series with a four-wicket victory on Sunday.
Graeme Smith struck a defiant century in the face of Australia's massive first innings total of 550, but the hosts grabbed a pair of wickets after tea to restrict South Africa to 217 for two at the close of the second day of the second Test.
South Africa will dearly miss AB de Villiers in the World Cup. De Villiers announced a shock retirement from international cricket last year.
Tendulkar and Dravid came close to the 900-point mark, but were unable to break the barrier
Rain washed out the second day of the first Test between Australia and South Africa at the Gabba on Saturday.
Chapati in addition provides fibre from whole grain cereal whereas rice is a refined cereal, without fibre content, says Komal Jethmalani.
South Africa are still reeling after the first Test setback against England and have drafted in former captain Graeme Smith to assist the side with ideas and their psychological approach.
Paceman Kagiso Rabada led a brilliant South Africa bowling display that lifted the Proteas to a 47-run win over Australia in the triangular one-day international series in Guyana on Tuesday. After winning the toss and making 189 for nine off their 50 overs, South Africa's bowlers had a field day on a low, slow turning pitch at Providence Stadium in Georgetown as Australia crumbled to be all out for 142 off 34.2 overs. Australia made heavy weather of the run-chase right from the start, with the quick departure of dynamic opener David Warner (1), beaten by the pace of Wayne Parnell and trapped leg before. South Africa were rewarded for playing three specialist spinners but it was 21-year-old Rabada who led the way, using his genuine pace to claim 3 for 13 from seven overs.
The Men in Blue have never beaten the Proteas in a World Cup game.
Half-centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels steered a battling West Indies to 147 for two at the close on day three of the second Test against South Africa on Sunday.
Statistical highlights of the first day's play in the fourth Test between India and England in Nagpur, on Thursday.
Former West Indies batting great Brian Lara has criticized South Africa's 'blockathon' approach against India during the fourth and final Test at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, in New Delhi.
South Africa's AB de Villiers removed the question mark over whether he could bat while also keeping wicket with a storming 169 on Sunday to help his country to the brink of a series triumph over Australia.
England's Steven Finn took three wickets as South Africa, chasing an unlikely 416 for victory, struggled to 136 for four on the fourth day of the first Test.
Opener Dean Elgar provided stubborn resistance as South Africa finished the second day of the first Test on 137 for four in reply to England's 303 at Kingsmead on Sunday.
Australia has named Shane Watson in a 13-man squad for the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide next week, but said it was too early to guarantee the player's selection as he recovers from a calf strain.
South African batsman and occasional bowler JP Duminy was injured in the warm-down after the first day of the first Test against Australia on Friday in a potentially major blow to the tourists after they dropped their specialist spinner.
After a dream ODI debut last month, teenaged paceman Mustafizur Rahman announced his Test arrival by claiming three wickets in four balls as Bangladesh bowled out South Africa for 248 on the opening day of the first Test in Chittagong on Tuesday.
Chasing an improbable target of 490 to level the series, the tourists finished day three on 139-5, their highest total in the spin-dominated series, at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.
Foods rich in folate, vitamin B 12, vitamin C, D, K and iron are known to increase the platelet counts.
The second Twenty20 international between World champions England and South Africa in Manchester on Monday was abandoned due to persistent rain. The match was reduced to nine overs per side and South Africa were led by a spectacular 47 not out from Hashim Amla as they notched up 77 for five wickets.
Australia took firm control of the day-night third Test on Saturday when they reduced South Africa to 194 for six at the close on day three, only 70 runs ahead of their hosts.
Half-centuries from Eoin Morgan and Jonathan Trott steered England to a series-levelling victory over South Africa in the third One-Day International.
'We are known as a team who starts slow, so this time around we have to start well. There is a lot of pressure on players, (but then) it's international cricket and you want to keep it that way.'
Opener Reeza Hendricks, wicketkeeper Dane Vilas, spinner Aaron Phangiso and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who have all previously represented the country in the limited overs formats, picked for Bangladesh Tests
Rohit Sharma's unbeaten century and Yuzvendra Chahal's superb show with the ball along with Jasprit Bumrah's fiery spell helped India begin their World Cup campaign with a confident victory.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between Australia and South Africa in Perth, on Friday.
British Open champion Ernie Els said he was inspired by watching South Africa's cricketers turn the screw on England in the first Test before going out to win his fourth major title on Sunday.
Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj ran through the Bangladesh batting order to lead South Africa to an emphatic 333-run victory in the first test as the visitors capitulated meekly on the final morning on Monday.
Start the day with a glass of warm water, lemon, and a teaspoon of honey.
