While the return of pace spearhead Anrich Nortje, who had been nursing an injury, bolstered the bowling unit, the South African, who hasn't bowled since the T20 World Cup in November, looked understandably rusty.
Images from the ICC World Cup match between Afghanistan vs South Africa, in Ahmedabad, on Friday.
How Rishabh Pant performs as skipper will be watched with interest
'Dhoni might himself say why they are retaining him because he may not be there for three years and why they want to block so much money on him.'
Sarfaraz, Imad Wasim dropped from Pakistan white-ball squad vs Australia.
Australia captain Steve Smith expects his touring batsmen to be given a thorough test of their credentials when they face South Africa's formidable attack on pace-friendly pitches in a four-Test series beginning in March.
Images from the IPL match between SunRisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings, in Delhi, on Wednesday.
Neither DC nor LSG look like outfits that give you the vibe of a champion side
IMAGES from the ICC World Cup match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Chennai, on Friday.
Virat Kohli says he doesn't want any tags attached to his name and performances. We'll respect his request -- we'll only attach numbers!
South Africa will have to produce an exceptional batting performance to get back into the contest when skipper Faf du Plessis and Zubayr Hamza return to the crease in Ranchi on Monday.
'I am sitting here with a smile on my face knowing there is one less very competitive, very talented guy that we don't have to deal with'
Du Plessis revealed on Wednesday that all-rounder Chris Morris and seamer Duanne Olivier had been released from the expanded 17-man squad, but that the home side were still mulling over two positions.
India will need another near perfect game to take the five-match series into the decider.
While the batting looks in perfect shape, India's new-look pace department needs to come up with something special against the Proteas in Cuttack on Sunday.
India will be looking to round off their T20 World Cup preparation with a marked improvement in their death bowling besides providing crucial game time to its untested players in the three-match series against South Africa.
With 762 points, Kohli is behind England's David Malan
The Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper-batsmen showed his class with an outstanding exhibition of strokeplay leaving the hapless Chennai Super Kings bowlers stunned, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
4 Aussies, 3 Indians, 1 Kiwi, 3 South Africans in Harish Kotian's World Cup 2023 Dream XI.
Images from the rain-curtailed 1st ODI between India and South Africa in Lucknow on Thursday.
While Sri Lanka will be fancying their chances against a lowly South African side, the Proteas would be more than keen to make a statement against the 1996 winners.
Having won the series, India would like to carry on momentum forward, especially with the three-match T20I series to follow soon after. Yet, the visitors would also like to find a balance between going all out in a dead rubber and resting a few players keeping in mind a long overseas schedule later this year.
Delhi Capitals will have their fortune in their own hands as they aim to pull all stops against Mumbai Indians in what will be a virtual quarter-final clash for Rishabh Pant's men as far as their IPL 2022 play-offs hopes are concerned.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for the second and final Test against South Africa?
Punjab are seventh on the points table with 12 points. The Capitals also have a dozen points and are fifth
The fast bowler has spent more than a month on the sidelines and was ruled out on Tuesday, though South Africa hope he will be fit to face India on June 5.
Delhi Capitals will aim to solve their opening conundrum quickly and boost their chances of making it to the IPL play-offs when they take on a lacklustre Chennai Super Kings at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
7 batsmen have scored more than 500 runs in IPL-11 so far. 6 bowlers have taken 18 or more wickets. Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji reveal who they are.
India have a chance to hold the Proteas by the scruff of their neck with the latter seemingly at their weakest following back-to-back defeats,
Images from Sunday's ICC World Cup match between Bangaldesh and South Africa.
How the IPL teams have shaped up after the auction.
Two wrist-spinners, who are currently dominating the bowling charts will be itching to show their wares
South Africa have named six uncapped players in their 17-man squad for the first two Tests of the four-match series against England as new coach Mark Boucher seeks to revive the fortunes of the ailing side. Batsmen Pieter Malan and Rassie van der Dussen, fast bowlers Dane Paterson and Beuran Hendricks, all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius and wicketkeeper Rudi Second will all hope to make their debuts in the first Test starting in Pretoria on December 26.
Operating like a well-oiled unit, Chennai Super Kings will start as overwhelming favourites when they clash with struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL match in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Rahul and Pant, both match-winners in their own rights even with the bat, will like to seize the initiative in these early rounds.
Smarting from opening game losses, a good batting display will be high on the agenda for South Africa and defending champions West Indies when the two teams lock horns in a Super 12 match of the T20 World Cup in Dubai on Tuesday.
A dominant India quickly wrapped up the last two wickets to win by a comprehensive margin of an innings and 202 runs and complete an emphatic 3-0 series whitewash against South Africa.
Skipper Aiden Markram and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder hit superb hundreds as South Africa 'A' fought their way to 400 all out against India 'A' on day three of the second unofficial Test, in Mysuru, on Thursday.
India aim to stay afloat against daunting South Africa in the second Test
A Rajasthan Royals official had told ANI that Buttler wasn't part of the bubble that was created for the players travelling from the UK to UAE and that is the reason he had to do a full six-day quarantine.