IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2nd Test played at Newlands in Cape Town on Monday
The India-South Africa Test, which lasted just 642 deliveries, is the shortest ever in the history of Test cricket in terms of balls bowled.
Pacer Vernon Philander claimed six for 21 as South Africa thrashed Australia by a huge margin of 492 runs to claim the four-match series 3-1, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
For the first time in a decade, South Africa have been forced to acknowledge they are on the decline following back-to-back series losses to India and England that have knocked them off the top of the Test rankings.
Opener Dean Elgar hit an unbeaten 60 as South Africa coasted to a comfortable eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the final Test at Newlands on Tuesday to take the three-match series 2-0 and retain their ranking as the top side in Tests.
Openers AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla broke the backs of English bowlers, blasting a 125-run opening stand to beat England by 9 wickets in the 2nd T20 International at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Coach Mark Boucher appears to have brought some steel back to the South African squad as they subdued an England side battling with illness and which has recently struggled to pick up wins on the road.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 3rd Test played between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town on Sunday
Skipper Virat Kohli's weakness outside the off-stump was again exposed as India plunged into deep trouble at 28 for three, after their bowlers dismissed South Africa for a modest 286, on the opening day of the first Test in Cape Town on Friday.
Before they went on their separate paths, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap were avid explorers, chasing sunrises and stories across the globe.
As he closes the most revered chapter of his career, here are some of his best Test knocks:
The visitors won the first two matches of the series in Durban and Centurion by six and nine wickets, respectively, dismantling the home side with consummate ease.
India made the difference in the PowerPlays and never backed down in any situation during the white-ball tour
It was an eighth ODI victory in a row for South Africa and an 11th win in succession at home as they showed form in the build-up to the Champions Trophy in England in June.
'Cape Town once again showed cricketers with limited first class experience will always struggle against the red ball.'
Has the philosophy of Test match changed with batters becoming tad too aggressive?
Raised by his mother Karen-Anne, Corbin and his younger brother Eathan, who also plays for South Africa, pursued cricket in honour of their late father's legacy.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers featuring the South African team from the World Cups.
Post tea, play was possible for 20 minutes before a thunderstorm washed away nearly an hour.
Factbox on the four-Test series between Australia and India, which begins on Thursday
Smith couldn't hide his emotions while recalling their work in the early days that paved the way for the entry of six IPL franchises in the league.
Mohammed Siraj's sensational six-wicket spell put India in control despite a superb fightback from South Africa with the ball on Day 1 of the second and final Test.
Captain Rohit Sharma rates the seven-wicket victory in the Cape Town Test as one of India's 'best victories'.
In the end, it turned out to be a nightmare with dark clouds hovering over the future of this Indian team and no sign of 'VIBGYOR' in the Rainbow Nation.
The star batter's aggression has been a fire to forge inspiration and motivation, but it has also led to some unnecessary controversies in the red-ball format.
India captain Virat Kohli on Monday said he will return to the team for the series-deciding third Test against South Africa as he is "absolutely fit" but ruled out the participation of pacer Mohammed Siraj.
Of the seven occasions when Wasim Jaffer has scored 75 or more runs in an innings, India has won one and lost one. On remaining four occasions the match has ended in a draw.
The Pretoria wicket is likely to be similar, with perhaps not the same sideways movement of Newlands, and will provide another test of the Indian batsmen's bravery against a seam bowling barrage.
There will be plenty of scrutiny of the Newlands pitch with the match completed in 642 balls, the shortest ever test in which there has been a winner, beating Australia's 656-ball victory over South Africa in 1932.
Bangladesh will take on Scotland in the tournament opener in an afternoon fixture followed by a clash between Asian teams Pakistan and Sri Lanka later in the day at Sharjah.
India didn't have "extra fire" in the lost opening Test against South Africa but a "mental shift" turned things around, said KL Rahul after the visitors won the second game to level the two-match rubber in Cape Town.
This was India's seventh defeat in their last nine matches as their poor run in Test cricket continues following successive series defeats against New Zealand at home and in Australia.
Rajneesh Gupta throws up all the numbers from Test encounters between India and South Africa.
'As a captain and a player, he never played for a draw, he always wanted to win.'
Besides a batting failure, India's skipper Virat Kohli listed inconsistency, lack of application, lapse in concentration and their inability to seize the crunch moments as reasons for the India's defeat in the three-match rubber, which the hosts prevailed 2-1.
Images from the Women's T20 World Cup Final between Australia and South Africa played in Cape Town on Sunday
Pant rushed to pick up his bat, patted it before planting a kiss on it.
During an action-packed day one of second Test between India and South Africa, a total of 23 wickets fell, which is the second highest number of wickets falling on day one of a Test.
Statistical highlights of the fifth and final day in the first Test between India and South Africa, in Centurion, on Monday. South Africa beat India by an innings and 25 runs to a take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
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