Amidst a challenging tour of India, England finds themselves in the serene embrace of Dharamsala for the final Test.
South African pacer Dale Steyn has become only the 20th bowler to break the 900-point mark in the ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers after claiming six scalps in his side's eight-wicket win over Australia on Friday.
Smith couldn't hide his emotions while recalling their work in the early days that paved the way for the entry of six IPL franchises in the league.
India hinted at a recall for Ajinkya Rahane in the third cricket Test against South Africa, days after his omission from the first two matches of the series raised eyebrows.
Iconic Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has bagged the fifth ESPNcricinfo best batting performance award in Tests, beating the likes of compatriot Rahul Dravid and Australia skipper Michael Clarke. Tendulkar, whose 146 at Cape Town in 2011 came under testing conditions and in the face of sublime swing bowling by Dale Steyn, was the No 1 choice of seven jurors of 11 who had him in their top three.
South Africa shredded through the Indian batting line-up to claim victory by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test.
Virender Sehwag raced to a double hundred off just 168 balls on Day 2 of the third Test against Sri Lanka. It is the second fastest double century in Test cricket.
All rounder Shaun Pollock and fast bowler Andre Nel would be rested and replaced by all rounder Andrew Hall and fast bowler Dale Steyn in the third and final Test against Pakistan.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna says the unpredictable nature of the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground will keep them in the hunt since batting won't be easy for Australia in the fourth innings.
Former Sri Lanka cricketer and current Rajasthan Royals coach and Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara expressed happiness on wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel earning the India call-up for the Test series against England at home, saying that the player understands pressure well and has a fine work ethic.
Kohli has no doubts that World Test Championship has added a context to the traditional format making the contests more exciting with points on offer.
Former pacer Ashish Nehra feels the Indian team management can think of handing Jasprit Bumrah his Test debut in the opening game against South Africa as his awkward action and yorkers might prove lethal on the Cape Town track.
The legendary Clive Lloyd wants to see more Test cricket on the international calendar and prefers a minimum of three red-ball games in a bilateral series.
Thakur, who was the first player to enter the throwdown nets, was hit on the left shoulder while facing throwdowns from batting coach Vikram Rathour.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said the Board of Control for Cricket in India should consult the government before sending the cricket team to South Africa, where a new COVID-19 variant is causing havoc.
With South Africa not lodging any formal complaint against the English bowlers, the International Cricket Council on Wednesday said it would consider the ball-tampering episode of the Cape Town Test as a closed chapter. England pacer Stuart Broad was seen stopping the ball with his boot and then stepping on it with spikes, while his bowling colleague James Anderson was also seen tinkering with the seam.
Flower had joined the Australian camp as consultant ahead of the World Test Championship final against India last month.
India captain Rohit Sharma said India can take pride in their performance after defeating South Africa inside two days of the 2nd Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday.
Cricket Australia (CA) has asked batsman Cameron Bancroft if he has new information on the 2018 Cape Town scandal in the wake of his suggestion that the team's bowlers were aware of the ball-tampering tactics.
The fifth and final Test is still two days away but thousands of English fans have flocked to the hill station.
South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander has been ruled out of the second Test against New Zealand, starting at St George's Park on Friday, as he is suffering from a hamstring strain.
Skipper Rohit Sharma stressed on the Indian team's ability to win games on any surface including rank turners, following its record 434-run win over England on a flat track in Rajkot on Sunday.
Dean Elgar's decision backfired as South Africa were bundled out for 55 in their first innings.
India's emphatic win in Durban has set the tone for a high-voltage climax as the visitors go into the series-deciding third cricket Test against the Proteas in Cape Town on Sunday seeking to record their first-ever series triumph on South African soil.
November 25 marked a special occasion in Test cricket as four Tests were being played simultaneously around the globe. Only sides missing from action were Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
Factbox on Graeme Smith, who announced he will be retiring from international cricket following the conclusion of South Africa's third Test against Australia.
A look at the players' record and their individual performances ahead of the two-Test series.
'It's a nice feeling to hear 'Ram Siya Ram' in the background'
Former Australia opening batsman Cameron Bancroft has broken his silence on the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, casting David Warner as the instigator and himself as an impressionable rookie that just wanted to "fit in" to the team.
Statistical highlights of the fifth and final day in the first Test between India and South Africa, in Centurion, on Monday. South Africa beat India by an innings and 25 runs to a take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
Indian physio John Gloster has declared paceman Munaf Patel fit for the third Test against South Africa.
The move was widely seen as an acknowledgement for his all-format consistency over the years.
The 33-year-old surpassed former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had claimed nine dismissals in a Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2014.
Harbhajan Singh claimed two wickets to help India end on a high against South Africa, on Day 3 of the third and final Test at Newlands, in Cape Town, on Tuesday.
'I remember my first call to him, it was in Kolkata. I asked him would he be interested in Test cricket. He said that would be the biggest day of his life.'
With Virat Kohli stepping down as India's Test captain, the reign of the country's "most successful captain" in the longest format came to an end.
There was some cheer for the Indian team as captain Rahul Dravid said he would be fit for the first Test in South Africa.
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between South Africa and India, in Cape Town, on Friday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith has lost his valuable Test cap which he wore in every match since his debut against Australia way back in 2002 in Cape Town.
With his unconventional action, toe-crushing yorkers and disconcerting pace, India's Jasprit Bumrah has taken the pitch out of equation on his way to acquiring legendary status, says fast-bowling great Dale Steyn.
