As India chase history at home in Navi Mumbai, while Laura Wolvaardt's South Africa will look to script their own fairytale, by finally breaking their run of heartbreaks at ICC events.
Chasing targets has been their Achilles heel throughout the tournament. The same batters who've plundered the bowling and scored daddy hundreds batting first, have resembled pale shadows of themselves chasing targets.
After bowling out SA A for 309, overnight 299/9, in the first session, India succumbed to their own waywardness, and the relentlessness of off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen (5/61), to concede an innings lead of 75.
This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
The Indians have not featured in ODIs in recent months but Kuldeep Yadav (650) and Ravindra Jadeja (616) still remained static at number three and number nine in the latest ODI rankings for bowlers.
Sack Gambhir before he damages any more careers, if you must. But it cannot stop there. The project ahead must be bigger, more ambitious, and far more urgent: Rebuilding the spine of Indian cricket from the grassroots up, and giving the Test team the seriousness it deserves. Only then will Indian cricket stop lurching from one crisis to another and begin, once again, to imagine greatness, suggests Prem Panicker.
Kagiso Rabada underwent a scan on Monday following an inflammation of his right ankle after which the 30-year-old was ruled out of the three-match series.
Bengal will be bolstered by the return of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami who has who has been out of India contention since the Champions Trophy.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Sunday.
A rampaging England thrashed South Africa by 342 runs in the third and final ODI in Southampton on Sunday to register the biggest victory in men's One-Day Internationals.
For India, the battle is no longer about proving skill or form, but about crossing the elusive final hurdle that has so often tripped them -- including in this very tournament.
India's Test No 3 Sai Sudharsan said his primary aim is to win matches for the team rather than focusing on individual goals.
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
The Proteas are not expected to tinker with their four-pronged pace attack comprising Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Ottneil Baartmen that has served them well in the tournament so far with Keshav Maharaj taking on the spin duties.
Though the England-South Africa game yielded less than 150 runs thanks to the brilliant display by the English bowlers, the surface at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium is regarded as batting-friendly and has often produced high-scoring contests.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
India have a mounting worry in the lack of runs so far from talismanic Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the energetic Jemimah Rodrigues.
AB de Villiers rolled back the years with a blistering unbeaten century as South Africa Champions crushed Pakistan Champions by 9 wickets to win their maiden World Championship of Legends (WCL) title.
Ravichandran Ashwin paid a heartwarming tribute to batter Cheteshwar Pujara following his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket, calling his batting a "symphony".
'I think we have got a very settled batting lineup. Would not like to shuffle it around too much but when the need arises, you know we are flexible about it.'
Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and has been named in both the ODI and T20I squads for the Pakistan tour.
India have relied on their spin strength on rank turners to gain points in WTC cycles in the past but Gill has said he wants his side to play on tracks that offer equally to batters and bowlers.
Temba Bavuma and his son Lihle celebrated with the ICC Test Championship Mace, marking South Africa's most memorable cricketing moment.
South Africa's long wait for a men's world title - could be written on Saturday. And if they succeed, don't be surprised if 'Lucky Charm de Villiers' trends again.
Sonny Baker's dream moment turned into an absolute walking nightmare after he went at the top of an unwanted record
England's torrid run in the 50-over format has plunged to alarming depths after they lost their first ODI series to South Africa since 1998.
From 'hope to history': Cricketing world explodes with joy as SA finally win major ICC title
A look back at some of the most painful moments when South Africa came heartbreakingly close -- but always fell short -- before finally breaking the curse at Lord's.
Tim David, Dwarshuis shine as Australia beat Proteas by 17 runs in T20 series opener
Shivam Dube remains a vital cog in India's T20 set-up and bowling coach Morne Morkel wants the Mumbai all-rounder to step up as a back-up medium pacer ahead of the T20 World Cup, in line with head coach Gautam Gambhir's philosophy of packing the XI with multi-skilled cricketers.
Markram hopes a run of sporting trophy droughts broken in 2025 rings true at the World Test Championship 2025 Final, with the Proteas taking on defending champions Australia from June 11.
Uncapped left-arm seamer Ben Lister is likely to make his debut in the 2nd Test
South Africa's two heaviest defeats have transpired when they fielded first and were accompanied by a lack of discipline as well as dropped chances.
Pietersen doubled down on his criticism, calling out the Proteas for going into a shell rather than trying to wrest back momentum.
South Africa's young batting sensation became the most expensive batter in the history of SA20
Chasing 145, the visitors were briefly rattled at 22/2 before Hermann and Van der Dussen stitched together a game-defining 106-run stand.
ICC chairman Jay Shah added his name to Lord's legendary tradition by ringing the bell before the World Test Championship (WTC) final
'Did you see the ICC video?? Meant to be celebrating the WTC final -- but instead has 11 shots of Jay Shah in it.'
The BCCI bars active Indian cricketers -- international or domestic -- from playing in overseas leagues to protect the IPL's exclusivity.
'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.'
