England fast bowler James Anderson says he enjoyed the "well-spirited" manner in which he and India captain Virat Kohli had a go at each other during the home Test series earlier this summer, describing the contest as his favourite of the many duels with the star batter.
Janneman Malan, who was out to the first ball of the match on debut on Saturday, anchored the South African reply, taming his usual swashbuckling style to score 129 not out from 139 balls and lead the home side to victory with nine balls to spare.
Heinrich Klaasen smashed an unbeaten century as South Africa claimed a 74-run victory over Australia in their first one-dayer played on a slow Boland Park wicket on Saturday. After winning the toss, South Africa overcame an early wobble to post 291 for seven in their 50 overs, a total boosted by the maiden ODI ton from middle-order batsman Klaasen, who crashed 123 from 114 balls. Australia were up with the run-rate for much of their reply, but South Africa then strangled the scoring with intelligent use of the slow pitch as the visitors slumped to 217 all out from 45.1 overs.
Images from ICC Men's ODI World Cup match played between India and Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the WTC final against Australia?
The cricketer-turned-commentator feels New Zealand and England don't deserve to get the second and fourth spot in the ICC Test rankings as they haven't won enough Test series in the last two years.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for the World Cup opener against Australia?
Australia still searching for their best formula in ODIs, says Finch
It took nearly a year longer than Australia hoped but Nathan Lyon ended his agonising wait for a 400th Test victim in style on Saturday during a match-winning four-wicket haul that sent England crashing to a stinging Ashes defeat at the Gabba.
Captain Ben Stokes and Harry Brook helped England stretch their lead over Australia to 189 on day three of the crucial fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford, with the hosts moving on to 506-8 at lunch.
Resurgent Australia stand between unblemished India and World Cup glory
Babar Azam fell one run short of his maiden century as Pakistan set Australia a mammoth victory target of 538 on day three of the second and final Test.
Australia opener Matt Renshaw is a doubt for the series-opening Test against Pakistan after suffering a head injury in a tour match in Dubai.
Left-arm spinner Nauman claimed a career-best 6-107 on a flat track where bowlers struggled for success.
Iyer's teammate pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar jumped three spots to 17th on the bowler rankings, while former captain Virat Kohli, who was rested for the Sri Lanka T20Is, fell out of the top 10 - he dropped five places to 15th.
Archer produced a sustained period of aggressive fast bowling in both of Australia's innings in the drawn second Test at Lord's, felling both Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
Despite the pair making certain of selection, doubts remain in other areas of captain Tim Paine's team, with opener Matt Renshaw picking up a head injury after being struck by the ball during the tour game that ended on Tuesday.
A series win in Australia will certainly put Kohli on a higher pedestal even though the quality of the home team's batting line-up suffered adversely due to the bans of former skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner.
The tourists were left on 20-2 after seven overs going into the second day.
India retained their number one spot and captain Virat Kohli remained static at second in the ICC rankings. India have 116 rating points, six more than New Zealand with third-placed Australia accumulating 108 points.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, on Saturday.
Australia bundled out Sri Lanka for 212 but endured a top order wobble of their own before reaching 98/3 in reply after a frenetic, spin-dominated day one of the opening Test in Galle on Wednesday.
Images from Day 4 of the second Test between Australia and South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
A place in the ICC ODI World Cup final once again eluded the South Africans as they went down to Australia by three wickets.
Australian captain Aaron Finch is confident Glenn Maxwell's ODI absence won't last long.
Khawaja to battle Head for openers' spot as Australia name squad for first two Tests.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc picked up his second five-wicket haul in the match to lead Australia to a comprehensive 366-run victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka and a 2-0 series win.
'He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him'
Siraj became the 298th player to play Test cricket for India
Smith's tally of 774 runs from seven innings with a Bradmanesque 110-plus average in a bowler-dominated series illustrates how he single-handedly carried Australia's run-scoring burden.
Usman Khawaja batted bravely for nearly nine hours to make 141 and help Australia salvage a draw in the first Test against Pakistan, in Dubai, on Thursday.
'It'll test us out, no doubt, against a good Indian outfit .... They beat us out here last time and they're a very good side'
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas claimed three quick wickets as Australia hobbled their way to 136-3 on Wednesday, chasing a mammoth target of 462 in the first Test in Dubai.
Their confidence soaring high after five Test wins in a row, Australia skipper Time Paine says they can't wait to host India for a "mouth-watering" series later this year but revenge is certainly not on their minds. Australia had suffered their first ever Test series against India at home in the summer of 2018-19 when they missed prolific batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner, who were serving bans following a ball-tampering scandal that shook world cricket.
The two groups will unite late on Thursday night and with the opening ODI slated for Friday, the players will have no scope to wriggle in a practice session as one unit.
Images from Day 5 of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Rohit Sharma was four not out, with Shubman Gill yet to score, after the injury-decimated tourists bowled Australia out for 294 in their second innings.
Joe Root continued with his purple patch during the first Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston, bringing up his 30th Test century.
Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik believes the time is ripe for Ravichandran Ashwin to make his first appearance of the series in he fourth Test at The Kia Oval, commencing Thursday.
