Domestic veterans Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar and Rinku Singh could keep the team management interested going forward in Test cricket.
They will have their task cut out against a batting line-up that has veteran skipper Paras Dogra and seasoned Shubham Khajuria ready to take the attack back to the opposition camp.
India, missing their top players, aim to punch above their weight and seal a memorable series victory against South Africa in the third and final ODI in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson returned to England Test set up after a gap of eight years, replacing injured Shoaib Bashir in the squad for the fourth Test against India.
Vijay Hazare: Pant's unbeaten half-ton in big Delhi win over Services; Axar hits century for Gujarat
It's less than a year since he made his debut, in the first Test against India at Mohali, but Kagiso Rabada has emerged South Africa's leading cricketer. The 21-year-old fast bowler was named South African's youngest ever Cricketer of the Year and also scooped up five other awards at a gala hosted by Cricket South Africa.
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has pulled out of next month's IPL 2026 auction and will instead play in the Pakistan Super League.
Smarting from opening game losses, a good batting display will be high on the agenda for South Africa and defending champions West Indies when the two teams lock horns in a Super 12 match of the T20 World Cup in Dubai on Tuesday.
Poonam Raut and Mithali Raj shared an unbeaten 127-run stand as India women steamrolled South Africa by eight wickets in the final of the Quadrangular Series, in Potchefstroom, on Sunday.
Imran Tahir hopes his heroics with the new ball have convinced South Africa captain Faf du Plessis he is capable of the job on a more regular basis.
Mark Boucher is confident he can turn around the fortunes of the country's ailing test team and has warned England
Pakistan to allow vaccinated spectators to attend NZ series.
Dale Steyn is set to play his first Twenty20 International since March 2019
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.
Ganguly backs fit-again Shami, says he should play for India across formats
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta feels that India's T20I vice-captain Shubham Gill, who is currently struggling to get going in the shortest format, has to play a similar role what Virat Kohli did for so long by consistently holding on to one end.
'I am sure there is enough time for us to prepare and guys are looking forward to this series. This is the best opportunity for us to win our first series in South Africa. So all of us are looking forward to it.'
Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar and Madhya Pradesh's run machine Rajat Patidar on Sunday got their maiden India call-up for the upcoming three match ODI series against South Africa, starting in Lucknow on October 6.
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.
Konstas has been drafted in to replace Marnus Labuschagne, who opened in the World Test Championship final alongside Khawaja but failed to impress as Australia lost to South Africa by five wickets.
Graeme Smith, one of the most dogged batsmen of his generation, stunned South Africa on Monday by announcing he will retire from international cricket at the end of the ongoing third Test against Australia at Newlands.
Yashasvi Jaiswal: Have selectors told him where he stands in white ball cricket?
Perhaps, another Ranji title with Mumbai will be a fitting send off for Ajinkya Rahane.
The veteran all-rounder will lead a 14-member squad to play against India and Ireland in place of Graeme Smith.
South Africa bowled England out for 181 in their first innings and had built up a significant 175-run lead by the close of play on the second day of the first Test at Centurion Park on Friday. Images from Day 2 of the first Test between South Africa and England at Supersport Park in Centurion on Friday.
Veteran all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has blamed Pakistan's Test debacle in South Africa on the "overconfidence" of the players, saying that the team's batsmen were just not prepared for the intimidating bowling attack of the Proteas.
'The whole country is behind him and watching his performances. You can't ignore a guy who's done so much for India.'
In a row that has rocked Bangladesh women's cricket, captain Nigar Sultana Joty has denied claims that she beat junior players, responding with a fiery defence that included a dig at India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed surprise over Sarfaraz Khan's omission from India A squads for the home series against South Africa, calling the decision unfair.
Rookie opener Sarel Erwee savoured a maiden century as South Africa dominated day one of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch to be 238 for three at the close on Friday.
Australia's senior batter Steve Smith has been ruled out of the remainder of the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's after suffering a compound dislocation of his right pinkie on Friday.
Fans thronged the airport to catch a glimpse of the 38-year-old, who stopped graciously to sign autographs and pose for selfies before heading home.
Jaiswal ticked a box in the third ODI with his maidan ton and Ruturaj Gaikwad chipped in with a hundred at Raipur, leaving Gambhir pleased as punch.
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.
Hashim Amla said on Wednesday he was stepping aside as South Africa's cricket Test captain with immediate effect, a day after a double century rescued his country from possible defeat in the second Test against England.
Having played the most defining knock of her career to ensure South Africa's maiden entry into Women's ODI World Cup final, skipper Laura Wolvaardt found the feeling to be surreal.
Rohit Sharma first wore the ODI captaincy armband in 2017 and led India in 56 ODIs, winning a stunning 42, while losing just 12.
Images from Day 3 of the 4th Test played between South Africa and England in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Mignon du Preez scored a valiant 90 as South Africa pulled off a consolation seven-wicket win over India to go down 1-2 in the three-match series, which was part of the ICC Women's ODI Championship.
A look at the possible vice-captain candidates for the Test series in South Africa.
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