India captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir along with Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel arrived in Kolkata late on Sunday ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa.
Six out of the 10 days in the entire series were thus lost to rain, questioning the logic behind scheduling the tour during monsoon season
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.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly offering the head coach position for the Test team to former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, potentially making him the youngest person to hold the role.
Temba Bavuma, who led South Africa to their maiden ICC World Test Championship title and a historic 2-0 series sweep in India, also made the cut, while four Australian players were included.
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.
India require a victory in the third and final ODI to avoid a second successive series defeat against the Proteas after succumbing 0-2 in the preceding Tests.
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
There was no money, sponsors didn't make a beeline and foreign tours were an ordeal, but there were women of steel who believed in the old adage that "the show must go on." And Nutan Gavaskar was the first among equals, one of the torchbearers of the women's cricket movement in India back then in 1973.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan was back amongst the runs with a brisk 52 off 43 balls but it wasn't enough to get India 'A' over the line against South Africa 'A' in a rain-hit unofficial fourth ODI.
'On one hand, three in-form openers is a healthy problem of plenty.' 'On the other, you just don't know whom to pick, and whether the selection sits well with the conditions and opposition on offer,' says Chetan Narula.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) chairman Chris Nenzani said CEO Haroon Lorgat has not been suspended and his removal relates only to the allegations contained in the David Becker article and he remains responsible for all other areas of the board's operations.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly supports the BCCI's decision to host Test matches in new venues like Guwahati and Ranchi, alongside traditional centres.
South Africa will need to go back to basics if they want to rediscover their form against England in the four-Test series, which starts on Boxing Day, coach Russell Domingo said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that head coach Gautam Gambhir has a firm grip on the team and is popular among the players.
India will look to address several lingering selection puzzles when they take on South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday in the first ODI of the three-match series, where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the set-up for a short audition that could well shape their 2027 World Cup fate.
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.
Gill, too, has found the going tough. The opener has scored 263 runs in 14 T20Is this year, without a single fifty.
S Africa select young guns Brevis, Pretorius for Australia tour
Rishabh Pant loses India Test vice-captaincy and is dropped from the ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, while K L Rahul returns as deputy and young players earn maiden call-ups.
Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, may have expressed support for the Kolkata pitch, but it continues to draw criticism from all quarters.
World Cup Tune-up: India Women to host Australia Women for three ODIs in Sept.
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 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.
Countering Bumrah before spinners come into play will be key for SA: Graeme Smith
Cricket South Africa (CSA) have overcome their initial hesitancy and confirmed on Wednesday that the third and final Test of the tour of Australia will be a day-night fixture at Adelaide Oval starting on November 24.
'The confidence we have with so many victories in Test matches, though they have come at home but still... going on a winning note is always good. So I am sure this is one of the most balanced teams that we have'
'Bhuvneshwar can swing the ball, Bumrah has a difficult action to pick, Shami's seam position is outstanding, one of the best probably in world cricket and his rhythm is outstanding.' 'Umesh is fantastic as well and so is Ishant.' 'So we have all the tools.' 'It is just about them hitting the right length as quick as possible.'
Team India may have been struggling to get going on pacey and bouncy South African pitches, but ask out-of-favour India opener Gautam Gambhir and he would tell you that Indian team has the potential to beat the very best.
Glenn Maxwell was ruled out of the three-match T20 series against New Zealand with a fractured wrist after being hit in the nets.
Captain AB de Villiers smashed an unbeaten 101 in his 200th One-Day International to lead South Africa to a five-wicket victory over England and a 3-2 series win at Newlands on Sunday.
New Zealand paceman Southee ruled out; Proteas 'keeper De Kock doubtful starter
Ganguly lauded Gill's leadership during India's tour of England, noting the challenge of captaining at a young age in such conditions
Having missed a few international games in Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka owing to a recurrent hamstring injury, India opener Murali Vijay has said he wants to attain peak fitness before the upcoming home series against South Africa.
South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen says stopping world-class batters like Virat Kohli becomes almost impossible once they settle in.
Markram's good form augurs well for the Proteas
South Africa have recalled all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy to their 15-player squad for next month's two-Test tour of Bangladesh as one of three frontline spin options.
India women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur stated that the ODI World Cup crown at home last year instilled the crucial confidence and self-belief needed to pursue more titles, including the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Cameron Green has also been in focus during his stint with IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders, with Cricket Australia managing his workload due to a lower back injury.
Diksha Dagar, the only Indian golfer to make the cut, finished with a strong performance at the Women's NSW Open, securing a top-20 position. Agathe Laisne of France won the tournament.
