India captain Virat Kohli remained in second spot behind Steve Smith while Alastair Cook jumped nine places to be eighth in the latest ICC Test rankings after his unbeaten double century in the ongoing Ashes.
Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock's showing represented an important turning point for South Africa's relatively inexperienced batting line-up as they head into an important summer that also includes a home Test series against England.
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.
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
All-rounders Ryan McLaren and Wayne Parnell were named in South Africa's 15-man squad on Wednesday for the three-match Test series against Australia starting on February 12.
The 3-0 series win against the West Indies could be called a precursor and the real battle begins now against Quinton de Kock's Proteas who are also in the midst of a tough transition.
IMAGES from the 4th ODI played between India and South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday
A career-best 119 from Virat Kohli lifted India to a respectable 255 for five at the close on an even opening day of the first Test against South Africa at the Wanderers on Wednesday.
A B de Villiers hammered the fastest 150 in ODI history as he led South Africa to a record-equalling 257-run win over the West Indies. Images from the match.
England's Joe Root has moved to the top of the world Test batting rankings after scoring two centuries and two fifties in the first four Ashes Tests against Australia.
Litmus test awaits India and MS Dhoni in second ODI against South Africa.
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.
Opener Dean Elgar struck a magnificent century for South Africa but Sri Lanka came back strongly with four wickets in the final session to balance the scales on the opening day of the first Test on Wednesday.
AB de Villiers, called time on his illustrious international career, claiming to be 'out of gas' after 14 years in the top league.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis says his side is determined to enjoy their final week at the World Cup - and that started with a nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at The Riverside. They now have a week until their final match - against Australia - at Old Trafford but are keen to ensure they bow out on a high.
South Africa skipper AB de Villiers led from the front with an all-round show to help South Africa thrash minnows UAE.
With both teams virtually out of the semi-final race, South Africa and Pakistan will be battling it out for a consolation win in their World Cup match at Lord's.
The 2015 World Cup so far has been treat for batsmen and spectators alike. Big scores have become synonymous with this edition of the mega event. So, while some shots sailed over the boundary line, others were opportunities, disguised as catches for fielders. Fielders had to lunge, go full stretch and focus to pocket those catches. Rediff.com presents you a chance to treat your eyes to those beautiful catches that made for plain, super cricket moments.
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah was more than happy to take advantage of the helpful conditions with ball in hand and the 25-year-old took great pains to ensure the magnitude of the occasion didn't adversely affect him.
'In what could be a watershed series, they have also caused a change in the way Australia will play their cricket in the future following the ball-tampering furore for which this series will long be remembered.'
Rajneesh Gupta glances at the history of this fascinating 21st century cricketing rivalry.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the fourth Test between South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Opener Aiden Markram led the way with a career-best 152 as South Africa had the better of the opening day of the fourth Test against a much-changed Australia, reaching the close on 313 for six on Friday.
Their pride bruised following disastrous campaigns, Kings XI Punjab and Rising Pune Supergiants will look for a graceful exit from the ninth edition of the IPL when they square off against each other for one last time in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Supergiants are coming into the contest after a victory over Delhi Daredevils at the same venue, their home ground, while Punjab have lost their last two outings -- against RCB and table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad. Punjab's fourth and last win this season had come at this very ground, when they had got the better of Mumbai Indians.
Hashim Amla says his team is not used to the hammering that it has received in the ongoing ODI series against India and the emphatic nature of defeat has taken the Proteas back to the drawing board ahead of the World Cup next year.
Tendulkar and Dravid came close to the 900-point mark, but were unable to break the barrier
India fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat claimed a Rs 11.5 crore deal with the usually thrifty Rajasthan Royals even as South African pace ace Dale Steyn went unsold on the second day of the Indian Premier players' auction in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
South Africa built a sizeable second-innings lead after reaching 65 for two against India at the close on day two of the opening Test at Newlands on Saturday but were sweating over another potential injury blow for experienced seamer Dale Steyn.
Test cricket must adapt to survive in the face of the ever-tightening squeeze from shorter, more lucrative, forms of the game, both England and South Africa's captains said on Wednesday.
Keshav Maharaj took career best figures of 6-40 as South Africa romped to an eight-wicket victory over New Zealand on the extended third day of the second Test on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
For fast rising South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, bowling to Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the final over of the first One-Dayer at Green Park in Kanpur was the "biggest pressure moment" of his fledgling career.
Livid with the criticism that pitches for the ongoing series against South Africa are not sporting enough, Indian Team Director Ravi Shastri said there is nothing wrong with Test matches folding up in three days and the critics should "stop cribbing".
Aaron, who has had a start-stop career ever since making his international debut in October 2011, has no qualms in acknowledging that the time has come to deliver consistently.
For Africa's Test-playing nations, administrative turmoil has defined the dying days of the 2010s.
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.
PCB Chairman, Najam Sethi is in the UK meeting with the British legal firm for advise. PCB's chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmad has also flown to London for the same purpose.
Soon after landing in Lahore, the World Eleven players and officials were taken to a five-star hotel on the main Mall road which was closed for traffic from all sides.
Opening batsman Quinton de Kock provided the early flourish with the bat with his seventh century while fast bowler Morne Morkel applied the finishing touch with four wickets as South Africa beat India by 18 runs on Sunday to take a 2-1 series lead in Rajkot, on Sunday.
Firebrand fast bowler Dale Steyn will seek to become South Africa's greatest wicket-taker in Tests when they take on Pakistan in the first match of a three-game series at Centurion Park in Pretoria on Wednesday.
Images from Day 1 in the fourth Test between India and South Africa, at New Delhi, on Thursday.
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