Faced with the prospect of a humiliating 0-3 series whitewash, a desperate India would be aiming to bounce back to winning ways against an unrelenting South Africa in the third and final Test, starting in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar says Indian team's recent success at home and an in-form captain Virat Kohli gives him confidence that they will enjoy success during next year's overseas tours.
'They need to be pro-active and take the pacers' challenge head on'
Steve Smith is back in the Test squad along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, the other two players hit with long bans for their involvement in the Cape Town scandal in March, 2018.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that the Indian cricket team has distanced itself from the administrative issues between Cricket SA (CSA) and the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India.
In other developments in cricket, England opener Rory Burns has been rendered a doubtful starter for the tour of Sri Lanka.
Former India spinners Sunil Joshi and Ramesh Powar will be among 20 candidates to be interviewed for the role of the women's cricket coach in Mumbai on Friday.
England wicket-keeper Jos Buttler is being encouraged by coach Trevor Bayliss to play in this year's Indian Premier League to hone his limited overs skills.
Images from Day 4 of the second Test between South Africa and Australia in Port Elizabeth on Monday.
Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has urged the International Cricket Council to review its existing 15-degree arm/elbow extension law for bowlers.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the second Test between South Africa and India, in Johannesburg, on Monday.
'When you have a win ratio of 65 per cent over the last five years, what is there to worry about?' 'How can the standard go down suddenly? For five years, you have been number one side in the world.'
An 'energised' Dale Steyn has passed his fitness tests and will play for South Africa in their three-match Twenty20 International series against Australia starting in Durban on Friday.
India would look to continue their ruthless streak
Australian batsmen David Warner and Cameron Bancroft signed up for a limited overs tournament in Northern Territory in July as they look to return to cricket in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal which saw them banned from the national team.
There will still be plenty of needle in the third Test between South Africa and Australia whether or not Kagiso Rabada wins his appeal against suspension, opener Dean Elgar said on Monday.
In the space of two days, top batsman Smith has gone from Australia's cricketing golden boy to national pariah and it looks likely that he has played his last Test as captain.
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.
Cricket Australia has come under pressure from the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) to end the bans following the release of the Longstaff review.
South Africa reeled off their modest victory target of 41 runs early on the fourth day of the second Test against Pakistan to clinch the series with a comprehensive nine-wicket triumph at Newlands on Sunday.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Test played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Seamer Vernon Philander took career-best figures as rampant South Africa claimed a 72-run victory over India in a gripping first Test at Newlands on Monday.
Kagiso Rabada said South Africa are gunning for a whitewash of India, having trampled the visitors in the first two matches.
'On one hand, three in-form openers is a healthy problem of plenty.' 'On the other, you just don't know whom to pick, and whether the selection sits well with the conditions and opposition on offer,' says Chetan Narula.
Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris, who bowled his country to a series victory in South Africa last week, is hoping knee surgery will prolong his Test career through the 2015 Ashes at least.
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.
A trio of match winners in Stuart Broad, Joe Root and Ben Stokes offer England a bright future in Test cricket but unfortunately for Alastair Cook, there seems to be no end in sight in his long search for a worthy opening partner.
Having suffered a minor setback in the previous game, India will look to recover and close out this eight-week long tour with a series win.
'They are formidable but not unbeatable. It was just one phase with the bat where we let ourselves down and a quality side like India made us pay'.
Dean Elgar doubts Australia can keep up their 'docile' approach to Test cricket as the tourists slip towards a heavy defeat and a series loss in the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers.
Australia named five uncapped players in a raw tour squad to play Pakistan in a Test series in the United Arab Emirates, while recalling pace veteran Peter Siddle for the first time in two years and dropping middle order batsman Peter Handscomb.
In terms of days, Dale Steyn has spent 2,320 days at the top of the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, the most by any bowler since World War II.
'Given there is now independent verification that CA's system and culture were contributory factors, the ACA calls for the lifting of the board-imposed penalties on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft'
'We come here wanting to express ourselves, believing in our abilities and knowing we have the right balance to win Test matches under any conditions we play under.'
Factbox on Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Tuesday
Australia captain believes the result could have been different had Steve Smith and David Warner been available for the home side in Melbourne.
India captain Virat Kohli says the world's top batsmen will have reason to fear Jasprit Bumrah after the talented young paceman put Australia to the sword in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Dale Steyn produced a ferocious spell of fast bowling to inspire South Africa to a crushing 231-run victory over Australia in fading light on day four of the second Test on Sunday.
'Rishabh is fine batsman but needs to do improve with gloves'
With 59 matches spread across 10 cities, the cash-rich league starting Saturday will unearth new domestic talents apart from giving some of the tried and tested faces a shot at redemption during the next seven weeks of what is again expected to be a perfect marriage of cricket and entertainment.
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