The series loss to South Africa notwithstanding, India held on to their second spot in the team list, while star batsman Virat Kohli rose up a rung to second in the batsmen's table of the latest ICC ODI cricket rankings.
For Africa's Test-playing nations, administrative turmoil has defined the dying days of the 2010s.
India aim to stay afloat against daunting South Africa in the second Test
Pat Cummins produced a vicious bowling onslaught to leave India battered and bruised as Australia took a 296-run lead on day three.
The women's cricket World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe has been abandoned after the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa that prompted travel curbs, the sport's governing body (ICC) said on Saturday.
He made just 12 before he was trapped leg before wicket by pace bowler Nuwan Kulasekara.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes the BCCI should behave like a statesman amid the coronavirus crisis and he would have a lot more respect for the Indian cricket board if the national team tours Australia later this year. Gambhir was reacting to BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal's statement that if required, the Indian team could go into quarantine upon their arrival Down Under for the scheduled tour in the Australian summer.
The International Cricket Council General Manager Geoff Allardice all set to submit a presentation on upgraded Decision Review System before the Board of Control for Cricket in India in New Delhi on October 20 in presence of president Anurag Thakur.
'We had hoped that however behind we were, we could've shown more fight but we knew we needed exceptional performances. It was not a 469-run wicket. We gave away a lot of runs -- bowling was disappointing. We played some poor shots yesterday.'
Australian business magnate Don Argus, who penned the landmark review of Australian cricket in 2011, has warned the team and its selectors that they must not be fooled into thinking the job is done despite the Ashes hosts revival.
After picking up pretty much every individual honour on offer in a spectacular 2015, Australia captain Steve Smith has a more collective goal in his sights this year -- restoring his country to the top of the Test rankings.
The weather-ravaged, dead rubber third Test between Australia and the West Indies petered out in a draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday.
Captain Joe Root said conditions at Old Trafford should suit the 6 foot five tall Craig Overton.
India's long winning streak in Test cricket is under threat in a quick-fire three match series against South Africa this month, where their status as the top ranked nation in the format faces a stiff examination.
India recorded their biggest Test series win on Caribbean soil with a 2-0 victory over West Indies following a washout in the fourth and final Test match but ended up losing the number one spot in the ICC rankings, in Port of Spain, on Monday.
An Australia team that stared down the hardened bureaucrats and faceless money men of the nation's cricket board to strike a huge win in pay negotiations showed precious little unity when put under pressure by Bangladesh, the ninth-ranked Test team.
India's marauding cricket team will be aiming to reclaim the No 1 spot in ICC rankings when it takes on an unsettled New Zealand in the second Test starting, in Kolkata, on Friday.
Parthiv Patel gave his views on on what the World Test Championship title would mean for Virat Kohli.
"...he is an underrated player but he contributes on a regular basis, he is a terrific player to have in your team."
The postponement of the Test series between South Africa and Australia means New Zealand have become the first team to qualify for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final to be held in England from June 18 to 22, with June 23 as the reserve day.
India's status as the No 1 Test side in ICC rankings will remain intact irrespective of how the series against South Africa pans out, but the Proteas will join the visitors at the top if they win all the three matches.
India's bowlers, led by Ravichandran Ashwin, displayed outstanding perseverance to end South Africa's dogged resistance and register a comprehensive 337-run victory in the final Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Monday.
Head coach Ravi Shastri has called Virat Kohli the 'boss' of Indian cricket and said the support staff is there to 'take the burden off' the skipper.
The Australia captain is at the top of the Test rankings for almost two years. His batting average of 62.32 is second only to Don Bradman.
Up against fancied India, Bangladesh's ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza says the home team should be 'realistic' and enter the one-off Test with an aim to achieve a draw.
Pat Cummins' girlfriend wants to buy dog toys with his hefty IPL pay cheque
Kohli warned that youngsters will have mental problems if they don't embrace the pristine form of five-day cricket.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis feels that that young fast bowlers in his team can learn a lot from Indian pacer Mohammed Shami as to how one can be so devastating in home conditions.
Captain Andrew Strauss says English cricket has been through an evolutionary cycle. 'Since the introduction of central contracts, things have gone up.'
A ball-tampering scandal that devastated Australia cast a dark cloud over a dramatic cricketing year
Purists may hope for a better balance between bat and ball compared to previous slugfests, and the big grounds and long boundaries may offer some relief for bowlers while putting a premium on fielding.
India enjoys close relations with Afghanistan and both accuse common neighbour Pakistan of not doing enough to stop Islamist militants operating on their territory.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Shammi Silva said that his team felt stifled by the strict security arrangements during their recently-concluded limited overs tour of Pakistan.
Off the field the Board of Control for Cricket in India looks set for a complete overhaul with Supreme Court's stinging observations tightening the noose around the mandarins of the richest sports body.
Still licking the wounds of a 10-wicket mauling in Galle, a jittery India go into the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka starting in Colombo on Sunday with their status as the World No 1 team at stake.
South Africa's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada feels the upcoming T20I and Test series against India is a chance for his embattled team to figure where it stands against the world's best in a tough transition journey.
World Cup champions Australia doubled its lead over second-ranked India in the International Cricket Council's One-Day International Team Rankings from six to 12 points while the West Indies, Bangladesh and Pakistan are locked in a tight struggle for the remaining two slots in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India insisted that the number of playing days per year for the ever-busy cricketers will decrease.
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Having scored their first series win over India in more than a decade South African Test captain Graeme Smith has said that they would not enter the upcoming series against Australia 'undercooked' and will be better prepared than their last two series.
Axar Patel is summoned as the 15th member of the Indian team due to Ravindra Jadeja's suspension.
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