Playing down comparisons drawn with Australian wicket-keeping great Adam Gilchrist, South Africa batting mainstay Quinton de Kock has insisted that he just focuses on playing his own game.
England recorded their lowest total in a Twenty20 international as South Africa bowled them out for just 111 before easing to a seven-wicket win in the World Cup second round match on Thursday.
Opener and former captain Graeme Smith was released from the South African ODI squad, which is currently playing a three-match series against India, to "focus" on his preparations for the Test series, which starts from December 18.
South Africa have promised a ruthless approach as they seek to inflict an historic series sweep when they host India for the third and final Test at The Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday, says captain Faf du Plessis.
Debutant Lungi Ngidi took six wickets as South Africa defeated India by 135 runs for victory in the second Test in Pretoria on Wednesday and also claim the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest.
South Africa's success in winning seven out of nine ODIs against Australia this year has consigned Ricky Ponting's side to its lowest ranking in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship. The four-time World champions are now third in the listing, behind not only the Proteas but also India, which benefitted from Australia's loss in form to rise to second spot.
South Africa's worst fears were confirmed on Friday when premier fast bowler Dale Steyn was ruled out of the second Test match against India in Bangalore because of injury depleting their already-weakened bowling attack.
Slow bowlers Imran Tahir and JP Duminy spun South Africa to a series-levelling innings and 92-run victory over Pakistan on day four of the second Test in Dubai on Saturday.
After South Africa were penalised five runs for ball tampering against Pakistan in the second Test in Dubai on Friday, AB de Villiers insisted the Proteas were not cheats.
Impressed with South Africa's performance in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup, former fast bowler Alan Donald has rated Graeme Smith's men as the favourites to clinch the title in second edition of the tournament.
Uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has joined the test squad from the Pakistan A team currently in Hamilton.
Heather Knight's majestic maiden T20I century helped England to a record-breaking 98-run victory over Thailand in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup match at Manuka Oval, in Canberra, on Wednesday. In the day's second match, played later, Pakistan claimed the scalp of the West Indies outplaying the 2016 winners in an eight-wicket victory.
India fast bowler Mohammed Shami's central contract was on Wednesday withheld by the BCCI after his wife accused him of domestic violence and adultery, charges that were denied by the cricketer.
Agarwal, thrusted into the squad following failure of KL Rahul and Murali Vijay, responded with a 76-run knock off balls, sorting out India's opening woes to some extent.
Sourav Ganguly emphasised the need for playing day/night Tests to attract more spectators to stadiums.
Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar appealed for more maturity from cricket fans, saying the unruly crowd behaviour during the Twenty20 match between India and South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack was not good for the sport.
South Africa will play four Tests and five One-Day Internationals on their upcoming tour of India from September 29 to December 7. The 72 days' tour -- their longest ever to the sub-continent -- also comprises three Twenty20 matches.
Quinton de Kock's participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League was, on Thursday, thrown into jeopardy.
After restricting the Proteas to 296 in their first innings, Australia were 38 for 1 in their second essay.
Kohli promised to up the ante in the remaining three games.
AB de Villiers has been ruled out of South Africa's two-test home series against New Zealand this month with an injured elbow and Faf du Plessis will take over the captaincy.
Australian batting sensation David Warner is all set to make his one-day debut in the second ODI against South Africa at Hobart on Sunday after being picked to replace Micheal Clarke, who was ruled out of the remainder of the five-match series due to a thumb injury. Warner, who smashed a blistering 89 off just 43 balls in the opening Twenty20 international against the Proteas at the MCG earlier this month, will get his chance to stake a claim after missing the first ODI.
Australia crashed to its first home Test series defeat in 16 years when they went down to South Africa by nine wickets in the second Test at the MCG on Tuesday. It was South Africa's first Test-series win on Australian soil.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn will undergo rehabilitation on a fractured rib but will be fit for the home series against Australia which begins next month, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said on Tuesday.
Dale Steyn grabbed five wickets to lead South Africa to a convincing 204 run-victory over New Zealand in the second test at Centurion on Tuesday that sealed a 1-0 win in the series. Set an unlikely target of 400 to win the match, New Zealand were bowled out for 195 with a day to spare as South Africa kept in tact their record of never losing a series against the Kiwis.
Keshav Maharaj took career best figures of 6-40 as South Africa romped to an eight-wicket victory over New Zealand on the extended third day of the second Test on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The 24-year-old wicketkeeper injured the index finger on his right hand while fielding in South Africa's eight-wicket win in the second Test in Wellington and underwent scans earlier this week.
Australia have dropped Test skipper Tim Paine from their one-day squad for next month's series against South Africa and named opening batsman Aaron Finch as captain in his place.
The Proteas are working overtime to devise a strategy to get the better of the right-hander and they believe the best way to dismiss Rohit is to get him early before he gets his eye in.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith expects an even contest between bat and ball to set up a thrilling finale in the series-deciding third Test against Australia at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.
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Shamsi's stint at RCB has helped him grow as a cricketer with the likes of Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle providing him useful tips.
India's status as the No 1 Test side in ICC rankings will remain intact irrespective of how the series against South Africa pans out, but the Proteas will join the visitors at the top if they win all the three matches.
South African skipper Faf du Plessis said that the 2015 series loss in India on raging turners motivated their team to win the series in Centurion, on a pitch that 'should have suited the visitors more'.
The 2-0 series triumph over New Zealand has propelled England to the third spot in the ICC Test Rankings, just one point behind second-placed India. Sunday's win in Nottingham, coupled with the victory at Old Trafford and the draw at Lord's means England rises above South Africa in the Test Championship table into third position.
The BCCI also wrote a few words wishing luck to the former SA captain.
South African cricketer Faf du Plessis has now reportedly turned the tables on the visitors by claiming that something was amiss about the ball reversing so early on the third day of the decisive third Test at Newlands.
'The confidence and the momentum of that definitely helps. It just makes you raise your own bar of performance, you want to be a better player. My challenge to myself was to be a good player and now it's to become a great player. So it's just about lifting the bar and making a mind shift'
South Africa batsman AB de Villiers became the first player in the history of Test cricket to score a half-century in 12 consecutive Tests after he crossed 50 in the first innings on the opening day of the second Test against Australia, at St George's Park, on Thursday.
30 wickets across two games... a good day for the bowlers at last...
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