'We missed out on Ravichandran Ashwin, but we have a strong pace attack.'
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green smashed blistering hundreds as Australia steamrollered South Africa by 276 runs in the third and final One-Day International.
The unexpected 10-day break has left both the RCB and the KKR with different goals to achieve and common challenges to hurdle over.
Virat Kohli has two hundreds and a fifty in his last three innings, while Rohit Sharma has a hundred and two fifties in his last four outings.
With new rivalries, fresh team colours, and familiar faces reunited, this isn't just the start of a new season-it's a blockbuster waiting to unfold.
South Africa crushed England by seven wickets in their final group match to storm into the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy.
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.
England needed seven from their final seven balls with five wickets remaining, but collapsed in the face of Ngidi's off-cutters
For the first time in many years, India are going into a home Test match as underdogs and not favourites. Ask any player worth his salt and he would tell that it is not a happy place to be.
Bavuma said his hamstring was 'feeling good' ahead of his return, and the South African skipper also confirmed he would bat at number three for the opening match of the three-game series behind openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram.
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.
The first Test starts at Lord's on Wednesday.
Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the 'chokers' tag when the two sides kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign in Karachi on Friday.
WTC-bound SA players to miss play-offs after BCCI asks teams to release them by May 26
South Africa have rested batter Temba Bavuma for their home white-ball series against India this month after a poor Cricket World Cup, but he will captain the team in the two-Test series which starts on Dec. 26.
It started pouring again with only 3.3 overs bowled and no more play was possible.
New Zealand and South Africa, both laden with world-class talent but often falling short in ICC tournaments, will face off in a tightly contested Champions Trophy semifinal.
Former No. 1-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja would open the innings for Australia in the WTC final against South Africa while the fit-again Cameron Green would bat at the No. 3 position.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday
Images from Day 4 of the second Test between South Africa and India in Pretoria on Tuesday.
"We're deeply grateful for the swift coordination and support from the BCCI, local authorities, and the police who made this possible," the RCB statement added.
Aiden Markram replaced Temba Bavuma as T20I skipper of the South African national side.
South Africa's Test players including Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi have chosen to play the IPL over the home Test series against Bangladesh, starting on March 31.
Josh Hazlewood decided to pull out of this year's IPL citing bubble fatigue and he also said that he wants to spend more time with his family.
Six uncapped players named in South Africa ODI squad
New Zealand beat a vastly different South Africa team by six wickets in Lahore three weeks ago, two days after beating Pakistan at the same venue.
South Africa, who lost to England and Bangladesh, are looking for their first win of the tournament on Wednesday against India who are ranked second in the world.
Lungi Ngidi ruled out for 'at least a week to 10 days'; Amla recovering well
Top bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, along with Lungi Ngidi, as South Africa look ahead to the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins later in November.
WTC Final-bound SA players likely to miss IPL playoffs
DC has talented India bowlers like Mandeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Chetan Sakariya
The bowling stocks looks good, but the major concern will be around the batting line-up, which struggled on the recent tour of England.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), already qualified for the playoffs, will aim to secure a top-two league stage finish when they face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash in Lucknow.
South African pacer Lungi Ngidi on Thursday said the Indians were clearly 'frustrated and under pressure' as a controversial DRS call saved home skipper Dean Elgar.
CSA's director Enoch Nkwe changed his stance, saying higher-level talks were happening between CSA, the BCCI, and IPL franchises, suggesting CSA had little choice in the matter.
South Africa host Australia for three T20 matches from August 30 to September 3 and five ODIs from September 7 to 17.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
'There is a lot of inspiration we can draw from in the brand of cricket we have played in the last three or four years.'
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be looking to secure play-off qualification as struggling Lucknow Super Giants aim to stay alive in the tournament when the two sides clash in the Indian Premier League match in Lucknow on Friday.
The letter was also signed by five current coaches including national fielding coach Justin Ontong, ESPNCricinfo had reported.
