India's awe-inspiring batting depth will face a stern test against South Africa's quality spin attack in the first Test, starting in Kolkata on Friday.
Marco Jansen picked 12 wickets in the two Tests at an average of 10.08 including a six-wicket haul in the first innings of the Guwahati Test, while Jasprit Bumrah managed eight wickets in the series.
India will look to overcome batting inconsistencies and finish the tour of Australia with authority when the two sides clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Brisbane on Saturday.
Daryl Mitchell becomes only the second player from New Zealand to hold the top the ICC ranking for ODI batters.
Formidable India have their tails up as they head to the gargantuan MCG for the second T20I against Australia here on Friday, thanks to the influx of young talent and the return to form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Suryakumar Yadav-led India ready for Aussie challenge as T20 World Cup preparation begins.
K L Rahul takes over the captaincy after regular skipper Shubman Gill missed the series because of a neck injury.
The T20 WC champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
'It (the pitch) wasn't free-flowing. You felt comfortable, but the scoreboard wasn't going anywhere.'
Former India batter Suresh Raina has backed under-fire national head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying the team's recent poor run in home Tests cannot be attributed to the support staff, as players must shoulder responsibility for the results.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh on Friday etched his name into the record books by becoming the first Indian bowler to claim 100 wickets in T20 internationals.
Delhi blast: Heightened security in Kolkata ahead of India-South Africa Test
'You don't come to a country to win a Test match, you obviously want to win the series.
Shami, 35, was left out of India's 15-member squad for the two home Tests against South Africa, scheduled to commence on Friday at the famed Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Before his most recent snub, Shami had openly expressed his disappointment about being sidelined from India's recent Test fixtures.
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
India will look to address several lingering selection puzzles when they take on South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday in the first ODI of the three-match series, where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the set-up for a short audition that could well shape their 2027 World Cup fate.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Chasing 121 for victory, India were 63/1 at stumps and West Indies will draw solace from being able to force a final-day finish after being made to follow on.
Jasprit Bumrah led the Indian attack from the front in the second Test against England. Following a sizzling six-wicket haul in the first innings, Bumrah returned to pick up three to guide India to a series-levelling win.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Monday.
From Gill to Bumrah: India team, support staff, BCCI VP Shukla arrive at Gambhir's residence for special dinner
The Indian team management is unlikely to tinker with its playing XI for the inconsequential final group league Asia Cup game against Oman except for resting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in Dubai on Friday.
'...we want him available as much as possible, but we have to be careful with him with some of the big tournaments coming as well, but like I said, the team always comes first.'
When Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill bat together at the top of the order, they put smiles on the faces of everyone and are learning the different facets of dealing with various match situations in the shortest format, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said after his team won the five-match T20I series against Australia on Saturday.
Abhishek Sharma waged a lone battle with an entertaining 68 from 37 balls in the second T20I against Australia at MCG on Friday.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
Irfan Pathan has added fresh fuel to it with a stinging remark aimed at Jasprit Bumrah, using Pat Cummins' Ashes-first approach as an example of how elite pacers should handle their schedules.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, arrived in Delhi on Tuesday and linked up with rest of the Indian team, many of whom were playing in the two-Test series against West Indies.
Josh Hazlewood clinically dismantled a famed Indian top-order with a probing spell to kill the contest as Australia cantered to a four-wicket victory in the second T20 International.
The aura of home advantage -- long regarded as a hallmark of India's Test side -- seemed secure. But in barely over a year, that fortress has not just cracked, it has collapsed, raising uncomfortable questions about strategy, selection, and temperament.
Responding to India's squad selection for the home series against West Indies, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan opined that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah could have been rested for the series in order to groom a young fast bowler.
Senuran Muthusamy and Marco Jansen made Indian finger spinners' look ordinary in good batting conditions with invaluable lower-order contributions as South Africa seized control of the second Test.
India captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir along with Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel arrived in Kolkata late on Sunday ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa.
Arshdeep Singh, who took three wickets for 35 runs in the third T20I against Australia, in Hobart on Sunday, said he's been working on his process, trusting his skills, and executing the plans he practised.
Rohit Sharma became the seventh Indian to complete 100 catches in One-Day Internationals, while young speedster Harshit Rana went level with decorated spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the record of most wickets for India after a player's first eight ODIs, in the third and last match of the series against Australia, in Sydney, on Saturday.
'There is always a plan. Whenever you can give him a break, you will.'
Shubman Gill was rewarded with the captaincy of the Indian ODI team for the upcoming tour of Australia, the BCCI announced on Saturday.
The observation, however, did not go down well with Bumrah, who responded to Kaif by saying, "Inaccurate before inaccurate again.'
Despite over-utilising his craft, Bumrah chased shadows of his past self and returned with figures of 0/45.
