South Africa's success in Australia is often put down to their comfort on the hard local tracks, which can be similar to those at home, but they could face some unfamiliar conditions this year.
South Africa beat New Zealand by six wickets to keep themselves in the hunt for a berth in semis of the Twenty20 World Cup.
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.
'I know a few of the Surrey guys and they are not what people make them out to be a lot of the time. But if anyone in that dressing room does think they are a big dog, they will need to sit down for a little while because there is a proper big dog coming'
Chennai Super Kings fell short by ten runs against Rajasthan Royals in Saturday's IPL match.
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.
English county side Surrey bagged Virat Kohli for a dirt cheap deal as the Board of Control for Cricket in India was keen to ensure quality game time for the India captain ahead of tour of England.
Having decimated South Africa inside three days on a turning track in Mohali, India will again look to unleash their troika of spinners to spoil A B de Villiers's landmark 100th match when the two sides meet in the second Test, in Bangalore, on Saturday.
The Pune outfit is presently languishing at the sixth spot in the eight-team standings with just four points.
Indian touring parties that have left Australia empty-handed over the last 70 years
India rung in two changes, Munaf Patel and Dinesh Kaarthick coming in place of VRV Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni respectively, for the third Test against South Africa.
South Africa's talismanic captain AB de Villiers has recovered from injury and been included in the Proteas squad for the One-day series at home against Australia starting later this month.
India secured their first ever series win in South Africa across formats when they beat the hosts by 73 runs in the fifth ODI on Tuesday.
South Africa named uncapped left-arm spinner Paul Harris in their squad for the remaining two Tests against India.
With India being outplayed in the Twenty20s, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will face added pressure to perform and lead India from the front against a formidable South African unit in the five-match ODI cricket series starting in Kanpur on Sunday.
Kolkata Knight Riders stormed into the final of the Indian Premier League on the back of a convincing 28-run win over Kings XI Punjab, with pacer Umesh Patel hogging the limelight with a fine display of fast bowling.
Mumbai Indians are all set to open the defense of their title against new outfit Rising Pune Supergiants.
Shaun Pollock smashed two fours and two sixes in his 36 not out off 25 balls as South Africa beat the West Indies by four wickets.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named Dean Elgar in the list of its contracted players, in place of the retired Test captain Graeme Smith.
Virat Kohli and Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara held on to their second and seventh position respectively
'In what could be a watershed series, they have also caused a change in the way Australia will play their cricket in the future following the ball-tampering furore for which this series will long be remembered.'
IMAGES from Day 3 of the fourth Test between South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Kolkata Knight Riders rode on a brilliant all-round showing from Australia's Chris Lynn to score a dramatic victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League match, in Sharjah, on Thursday night. After propping the Kolkata innings with a 31-ball 45, the 24-year-old Australian pulled off an acrobatic catch at the deep mid-wicket boundary line to dismiss A B de Villiers in the last over of the match, and RCB, chasing 151 for victory, fell short by two runs.
Opener Aiden Markram led the way with a career-best 152 as South Africa had the better of the opening day of the fourth Test against a much-changed Australia, reaching the close on 313 for six on Friday.
The fourth Test will not just be about how the Australian team perform, but how their behaviour is viewed by the watching world as they look to put the recent scandal behind them.
The hosts have suffered a body blow with Jacques Kallis pulling out of the squad because of a back strain.
Rajneesh Gupta throws up all the numbers of how both teams have fared in Twenty20 Internationals.
South Africa have recalled fast bowler Kyle Abbott for the second Test against India in his home town of Durban starting on Boxing Day (December 26).
Australia moved one wicket from victory in the first Test against South Africa on Sunday after Mitchell Starc's swing bowling decimated the hosts' lower order and dampened their hopes of an unlikely recovery.
Paceman Vernon Philander became the fastest South African to take 100 Test wickets on Friday but India can claim the ascendancy at lunch on the third day of the first Test at the Wanderers.
England's James Anderson is the first fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets.
India left out Suresh Raina, S Sreesanth and Jai Prakash Yadav from the 15 while making Gautam Gambhir the supersub.
Captain Virat Kohli roared back to form with a scintillating unbeaten 83 as India further consolidated their position with whopping overall lead of 403 runs at stumps on Day 3 of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Saturday.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a sparkling unbeaten 135 as India took a stranglehold over South Africa in the first Test in Johannesburg on Friday. The top-order displayed remarkable application on Day 3, as the tourists, after dismissing the hosts for 244 in the first innings, swelled their overall lead to 320.
Australia comfortably chased down a modest target set by South Africa to win the third Twenty20 international by six wickets at SuperSport Park and take the series 2-0 after the first game was washed out.
England ended a well contested first day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa on 260 for six with the late loss of Ben Stokes giving heart to the tourists.
South Africa built a sizeable second-innings lead after reaching 65 for two against India at the close on day two of the opening Test at Newlands on Saturday but were sweating over another potential injury blow for experienced seamer Dale Steyn.
'Game-changer' Yusuf will do something special, says Gautam Gambhir.
On a roll after three consecutive wins, a resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad will start as overwhelming favourites against struggling Rising Pune Supergiants in an Indian Premier League match, in Hyderabad, on Tuesday.
Ajinkya Rahane cracked a superb half-century to power Rising Pune Supergiants to a competitive 160-5 against Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Sunday.
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