India marched into the T20 World Cup semi-finals on Monday as skipper Rohit Sharma's blistering 92 set up a 24-run victory over Australia.
Despite being the world's top-ranked Test side India have struggled with their opening combination, which, in turn, has heaped pressure on the middle order.
Sanju Samson's T20I future took another hit on Tuesday as India benched him yet again, favouring the finishing skills of Jitesh Sharma in a team that now appears fully committed to its Shubman Gill-led blueprint.
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Pant, who will lead India A, is returning after a three-month absence because of a foot injury which he sustained in July in England, and now the 28-year-old southpaw is aiming to get back to the national fold during the two-match Test series against the Proteas.
Ravindra Jadeja did the star turn with a five-wicket haul, after Ajinkya Rahane's brilliant century, as India took control of the fourth Test against South Africa by taking a commanding 213-run lead on the second day at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Friday.
India joined Australia, England, and New Zealand as ICC Women's Cricket World Cup winners, and, like the latter two, achieved this feat for the first time on home soil.
Indian multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries and Surrey County Cricket Club on Wednesday announced their partnership in The Hundred and expectedly renamed the franchise MI London.
Former South African captain Graeme Smith is confident that his country will end its long wait for an ICC trophy in 2023, with the Champions Trophy and World Test Championship final on the horizon. He believes the team is in a strong position to break their drought and is focused on developing the nation's cricket ecosystem ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
'I think we've seen on various stages around the world now that they are proper X-factor players and that they have taken to international cricket quite easily.'
Stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can extend their careers till the 2027 ODI World Cup if the two Indian superstars continue their age-defying batting efforts, feels New Zealand pace great Tim Southee.
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.
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Walking in with the run rate climbing, Shivam Dube launched a stunning counterattack that briefly swung the momentum in India's favour.
In the other match of the day, Dan Lawrence and Jack Burnham hit centuries as title contender England crushed Fiji by a massive margin of 299 runs.
Despite the big loss, Shahidi said he had full faith in his batters to take the team towards the business end of the tournament.
South Africa will be hoping to ease new coach Ottis Gibson into his job in a two-Test series against Bangladesh where the home side defend a one-sided record against their opponents but are light on fast bowlers and still tinkering with their top order.
In this rivalry, numbers fade and national pride takes centre stage.
Spain cannot meet Argentina and France will not face England before the World Cup final - provided they win their groups - after FIFA on Tuesday announced the draw procedure.
Australia pacer Michael Neser found day one of his maiden Boxing Day Test a dream come true.
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.
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'He (Pandya) can command a spot in the top five on his batting alone. He could also be one of the top three seamers in any team if he was just a bowler.'
South Africa will be without striker-bowler Kagiso Rabada for Tuesday's opening One Day International against England at Headingley, captain Temba Bavuma revealed ahead of the clash.
Former champions Sri Lanka are all but out of the tournament after the Islanders produced a dismal batting show to manage a modest 203, a target which the Proteas overhauled with 76 balls in hand.
Pietersen doubled down on his criticism, calling out the Proteas for going into a shell rather than trying to wrest back momentum.
Mohammed Shami was once ignored for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa, despite having proved his fitness in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant is understandably delighted to have made a difficult comeback from the latest injury setback.
battling half-century from JP Duminy and a test best 46 not out from tailender Vernon Philander led South Africa's fightback as they closed on 262 for seven on the first day of the third and final test on Thursday.
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins says his injury-forced withdrawal from the T20 World Cup was also driven by a desire to be completely fit for the upcoming Test season.
'India-Pakistan match, if it does not happen, no big deal. Honestly, for a long time now, the actual game has never lived up to the hype and the drama we built up before the match.'
Deepti Sharma, the World Cup's leading wicket-taker who took a magnificent 5/39 in the final, is joined by teammates Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in World Cup's Team of the Tournament.
Graeme Smith hints at international comeback after Proteas' India debacle.
Here's a look at the South African run machine's brilliant record in international cricket, says Rajneesh Gupta.
India scripted history, clinching its maiden Squash World Cup title to become the first Asian country to achieve the feat after overwhelming Hong Kong 3-0 in the summit clash in Chennai on Sunday.
Massive chance for series win in India, SA better-placed with spin resources: Bavuma
Shafali Verma scripted a new record to her name as the opener blasted the highest score by an Indian batter in the Women's World Cup final.
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Head coach Gambhir, captain Gill, men's squad send best wishes to Harmanpreet-led side for Women's World Cup final
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