Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said following India's series draw with South Africa, that the hosts were the most "beatable team" and 185 by opener Dean Elgar in the first Centurion Test prevented India from creating history.
Following India's win over South Africa in the second Test which lasted for barely two days, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra heaped praises on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for his six-wicket haul.
However, he is expected to be back in time for the first Test against South Africa, starting on December 26.
They are scheduled to fly out to Johannesburg on Friday.
Bowlers need to find "innovative ways to execute deliveries with a touch of "anti-skill" to challenge the range-hitting batsmen in the ongoing IPL, reckons Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
Vidarbha took command of their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Madhya Pradesh with the key wicket of Yash Dubey (94) late on Day 4.
He has scored 994 runs in 35 innings at an average of 31.06. However, his statistics suggest his struggle against red-ball giants like New Zealand, England and now South Africa.
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
Neither does Shreyas Iyer wants to harp on the past nor is he keen to fret about what the future has in store for him. He just wants to "stay in the moment" and seize the day, as the illustrious Sunil Gavaskar advised him while giving the India cap.
Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel struck unbeaten half-centuries to power Rajasthan Royals to an emphatic seven-wicket victory against Lucknow Super Giants.
'India need to prepare a good fast bowling unit in 2024'
Australia opener Travis Head is a player of great class who saves his greatest performances for the biggest occasions. He was at his best throughout the majority of 2023, and when it counted most, he helped Australia win a sixth World Cup in India. He hammered an unbelievable 137 against India in the decider to help Australia lift the trophy.
The Reserve Bank of India has approved the merger of Centurion Bank and Bank of Punjab to be effective from October 2005.
'They've won in Australia twice (Test series in 2018/19 and 2020/21). Magnificent. But the last few World Cups, (they have) been nowhere, in the last few T20 World Cups, (they have) been nowhere.'
You need to be more creative in Cape Town as wickets are a lot more flatter and partnerships will stretch and that's traditionally as someone who knows it will be tougher Tests,' said South African legend Allan Donald.
'They perhaps hoped to get an early wicket, but once they didn't get that, they went into a shell.'
Star batter Virat Kohli was covering the swing well although he played and missed often until one ball moved away late to send him back to the dressing room, a pleased as punch Kagiso Rabada said after getting his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Centurion Bank will come up with a rights issue worth Rs 91 crore (Rs 910 million) on July 23, which would raise its capital base to Rs 288 crore by September end this fiscal.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between India and England in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Centurion Steve Smith praised Australia's bowlers after they reduced England to 107 for eight in the first innings to set up a victory bid in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Friday.
India is an "overrated" team in the longest format as many players in the current Test set-up have not performed to their potential, feels former opener Kris Srikkanth.
Shubman Gill was at his silken best during Indian team's intra-squad training game here at the Tuks Oval on Thursday even though there wasn't an opportunity to get a glimpse of that enchanting sight.
Centurion Alastair Cook paid tribute on Monday to the services of batting coach Graham Gooch after his 118 put England in control of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead.
South Africa skittled New Zealand's tail to dismiss their hosts for 211 and take a shock first-innings lead of 31 runs on day two of the second Test at Seddon Park on Wednesday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has no qualms in admitting that the South Africa series was a challenging one and said it was India skipper Rohit Sharma, who helped him maintain a positive mindset.
IMAGES from the first Test played between South Africa and India in Centurion on Tuesday
None of the Indian pacers made an impression on a surface where one needed to bend his back to get the extra bounce.
Swing bowler Vernon Philander sent a strong message to the South African one-day international selectors about his prowess in the 50-over game with a superb performance as the Proteas defeated Pakistan by four wickets in the final match of the series in Centurion on Saturday.
Prolific opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden Test double hundred in the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, becoming the third youngest Indian to achieve the feat in his nascent-but-remarkable career.
Ben Duckett's hundred overshadowed Ravichandran Ashwin's monumental feat as England stormed to 207/2 at stumps on Day 2.
Oman's Bank Muscat, the Gulf Arab state's biggest, said on Saturday it had bought a 26 per cent stake in India's Centurion Bank.\n\n\n\n
Former star spinner Harbhajan Singh picked Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of all-rounder Shardul Thakur for India's upcoming Boxing Day Test clash against South Africa in Centurion.
IMAGES from the Ranji Trophy final played between Mumbai and Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
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.
Roundup of Ranji Trophy matched played on Sunday
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