Captain Rahul Dravid bristled suggestions India were poor players of fast bowling.
Former India batsman Pravin Amre on India's triumph in the Twenty20 World Cup and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy.
Rediff.com brings you a wrap of big stories in pictures with the Best Sports Photos of the Week.
Along with elder brother Yusuf Pathan, Irfan will try to make an impression during the Twenty20 tournament.
We celebrate the ninth anniversary of that amazing over, with the video!
India are grouped with arch-foes Pakistan and minnows Scotland in Group D.
They will look to continue the momentum by fielding an unchanged side in the second Test at Durban.
The former India captain has questioned the India's selection and commitment of senior players.
Root thanks England fan over phone for his support.
India will go into next week's first Test against South Africa with no preparation time in the middle after their only warm-up fixture against an invitational South African XI in Benoni was abandoned on Friday without a ball being bowled.
The hosts have suffered a body blow with Jacques Kallis pulling out of the squad because of a back strain.
"We have to play much better to be competitive, and we can play much better than this," said the India captain.
The fast bowler claimed 4 wickets for 13 runs as South Africa beat India by 157 runs in the second ODI.
The left-arm seamer is all set to be dropped for India's second ODI against South Africa.
But he insisted that his policy of bringing young talent into the side was the key to improvement.
India must have fixed batting slots if they are to taste success on the bouncy South African pitches, says Aamir Sohail.
Australia beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in their last Super Eights game to enter the last four of the Twenty20 World Championship.
The three-match series between and Asia and Africa XI will be in South Africa, between August 17 and 21.
'Never would have thought 3-0 would have been possible against this Australian side'
South Africa have retained the same 15-man squad that saved the series with Pakistan in October for their two home Tests against India later this month.
Opener and former captain Graeme Smith was released from the South African ODI squad, which is currently playing a three-match series against India, to "focus" on his preparations for the Test series, which starts from December 18.
National selector Mark Waugh has confirmed Shane Watson will play the final two T20 internationals against South Africa after missing the game one defeat in Durban. Watson scored an unbeaten 124 against India in his last T20 appearance for Australia, but suffered an abdominal injury while playing for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League three weeks ago. But Waugh says Watson will return in the second match in Johannesburg on Sunday, and also forecast ongoing changes as Australia seek to determine their best XI ahead of the looming World T20 in India. "He (Watson) would have played on Friday except he had a stomach strain so we just wanted to make sure that he was fully fit. He'll play in the last two games," Waugh said on commentary at Kingsmead. "We're probably going to give everybody two games out of three matches so we can have a look at them and give them some game time in the middle. "We've played very little T20 cricket so everyone will get a game. "Watson's bowling has been very good the last three or four months.
Hashim Amla may be included in the South African side to attract his home crowd in the second Test against England.
David Warner will continue as Australia vice-captain despite his involvement in a heated exchange in the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, an incident which has drawn condemnation and put his fiery personality back in the spotlight.
South Africa's batsmen were strangled by India's wrist spinners, slumping to 134-5 with Kuldeep Yadav the pick of the bunch.
Uncapped opening batsman Jeet Raval has been named in New Zealand's Test squad for their tour of southern Africa in August, New Zealand Cricket said on Friday.
Morne van Wyk blasted an unbeaten century and David Wiese took five wickets as South Africa claimed a consolation 69-run victory over West Indies in the final Twenty20 international on Wednesday.
Steve Smith accused South Africa wicketkeeper Quniton de Kock of setting off a heated dispute by making a personal remark to David Warner
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban on Thursday.
The countries will pin their hopes of victory on their quicks with seamer friendly wickets on order for the Tests in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and the contests set to be dominated by fiery exchanges of fast bowling.
The pitch and outfield of Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain has been officially rated "poor" by the ICC following the recent Test between India and the West Indies, which saw more than four-and-a-half days' play being lost because of poor drainage facilities.
As Ashish Nehra gets set to quit international cricket after the first T20I game against New Zealand in New Delhi this evening, Rajneesh Gupta presents the mighty fast bowler's top five performances.
James Taylor and Nick Compton compiled gritty half-centuries to lead England to 179 for four on a rain-disrupted first day of the opening Test against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban, on Saturday.
South Africa will need to go back to basics if they want to rediscover their form against England in the four-Test series, which starts on Boxing Day, coach Russell Domingo said.
AB de Villiers lauded the player on an amazing career, saying that Amla was one of the best players in the world.
David Warner has said a 'vile and disgusting' sledge about his wife from South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock was the trigger for his angry outburst
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc produced high-quality reverse-swing to claim five wickets against South Africa as the tourists seized control of the first Test with a first innings lead of 189 at the close on the second day.
South African pace bowler Dale Steyn has revealed that he would be continuing to use his 'secret weapon' of variation in his delivery stride and bowling action in the upcoming series against Australia.
'South Africa have found a little sweet spot with David Warner'
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