Virat Kohli's supreme fitness was evident in his 47th ODI century while comeback man KL Rahul produced an equally engaging ton on comeback as India thrashed a listless Pakistan by record 228-run margin.
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.
Rohit didn't give any information if he is looking to change the combination in the next game.
WATCH the training sessions of South Africa and Team India, on Wednesday, the eve of the first ODI in Durban
Images from the second One-Day International between South Africa and India, in Paarl, on Friday.
After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
The Jharkhand left-hander became the fourth Indian batter to score a double hundred.
Jhye Richardson said Australia were lucky to get Mahendra Singh Dhoni out with a dubious call.
K L Rahul has hit top form after returning from injury at the Asia Cup.
Impressed with his captaincy at the ODI World Cup, former captain Sourav Ganguly on Friday threw his weight behind Rohit Sharma, saying he should lead India at least till the T20 World Cup in June next year.
Mohammed Shami's absence will certainly leave a gaping hole in India's planning but former South African pacer Fanie de Villiers believes that Rohit Sharma's men have the best chance of ending a 31-year wait for a Test series win in the Rainbow Nation.
Mohammed Rizwan will fondly remember the local curator in his prayers for producing a batting beauty
Riding on Harmanpreet Kaur's fiery knock of 171 off 115 balls, India beat Australia by 26 runs to book a spot in the ICC Women's World Cup final.
Despite dropping six points in the ICC Test rankings, R Ashwin remained on top of the points table, along with James Anderson.
Shubman Gill named ICC Men's Player of January
Star pacer Mohammed Shami has developed an ankle condition, which currently requires medical attention, as the Indian team management will hope that he regains fitness in time for the first Test against South Africa starting from December 26 at Centurion.
'There will be an extended period of time out and we're just going to weigh whether that time falls potentially with an option to carry him through the front half of the World Cup.'
The new COVID-19 variant, which threatens to wreak havoc in South Africa, has led to considerable concerns about India's tour of the Rainbow Nation next month and there could be changes in the quarantine rules for players in the coming days.
South Africa returned to the top of the ICC ODI Team Rankings.
Pointing out that Ajinkya Rahane has the quality to open and play in the middle-order, India captain Virat Kohli insisted that he could see the former providing greater balance to the side than anyone else.
Virat Kohli's World record 50th ODI hundred, a scintillating century by Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami's brilliant pace bowling powered the hosts past New Zealand in the first semi-final with a 70-run victory at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Former Cricket South Africa president Dr Ali Bacher is not pleased that India, Australia and England are "marginalising" other boards to enjoy complete hegemony.
South Africa confirm updated India itinerary.
Kagiso Rabada is already in the pantheon of great South African fast bowlers, but if the Proteas play only a limited number of Tests a year, he can never surpass Dale Steyn's record of 439 wickets, reckoned Makhaya Ntini on Tuesday.
Australian opener David Warner has surged to a career-best third in the ICC ODI Players Rankings for batsmen after accumulating 386 runs at an impeccable average of 77.20 in the recently concluded five-match series against South Africa.
Skipper Rohit Sharma is impressed by the 23-year-old's understanding of the role of opener in ODIs.
Former South Africa batting all-rounder Farhan Behardien is hoping that the new COVID-19 variant, which is causing alarm here, will not jeopardise India's tour of the country next month as young cricketers of his nation need the series "more than ever".
The Indian team's tour of South Africa, which was finalised after weeks of deliberations and controversies, will kick off with a three-match One-Day International series starting on December 5, in Johannesburg.
Iyer's comments highlight the changing dynamics of the game and how rules can impact team strategies and player selection.
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan scored a superb 77 as Bangladesh claimed their first ever victory in South Africa with a 38-run win in the first One-Day International at Centurion Park on Friday.
Bangladesh might not look too threatening in the World Cup but their record against the Proteas
Australian team will be aiming to put up a much better batting performance with a rejigged playing eleven against an upbeat South Africa
Shoaib Malik hit his first century in six years to help Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in the first One-dayer by 41 runs in Lahore on Tuesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
India's head coach Rahul Dravid admitted that his team didn't play "smart cricket at crucial times", but backed the beleaguered K L Rahul to get better as a leader in the coming days.
With an unassailable 3-0 lead in hand, India need just one more win to claim their maiden ODI series triumph on South African soil.
IMAGES from the ICC World Cup match played between South Africa and Sri Lanka in New Delhi on Saturday.
The dashing opener was stunned after his knock of 175 helped South Africa overhaul Australia's daunting total of 434-4 with one ball to spare.
India will tour South Africa for an all-format series in December-January, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said on Thursday. According to the itinerary announced by CSA, India is set to play three Test matches, as many ODIs and four T20Is during the tour.
India's tour of South Africa later this year will commence with the visitors playing Twenty20 and 50-over internationals against the hosts before taking them on in a three-Test series.
