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.
While the two T20 matches will be a precursor to the ODI series, vice-captain Rohit Sharma is likely to be given a short break to rejuvenate and come back fresh for the ODIs.
A look at the key players to watch out for in Thursday's match between India and New Zealand.
Kohli had achieved his highest rating after the Southampton Test against England earlier this year.
Images from India's World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh, in Cardiff, on Tuesday.
Virat Kohli's participation in the fourth and deciding Test match against Australia, in Dharamsala, hangs in balance even as young Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been included in the team.
'It is the ability to fight back.' 'Obviously, you need skill to win a game of cricket, but the biggest thing is the resilience and the conviction to bounce back and the conviction to go and win abroad or anywhere.' 'I think that conviction is what stands out.'
'Political convenience' and 'personal ambition' played a major part in Scindia's decision to the Congress, said a party leader.
India have a chance to hold the Proteas by the scruff of their neck with the latter seemingly at their weakest following back-to-back defeats,
India spinner Kuldeep Yadav feels no one judges his bowling better than Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is set to feature in his 300th ODI on Thursday.
Young Rishabh Pant's competition for the second wicketkeeper's slot with veteran Dinesh Karthik will be the highlight of the discussion.
After their below par showing in the World Cup, some senior Indian players are living on borrowed time.
Against a quality side like Australia, the performers at the domestic level will get a chance to test themselves against the likes of Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc if Steve Smith and Darren Lehmann decide to give them a few overs.
Chasing 294 for victory on a batting pitch, Hardik Pandya (78 off 72) and Manish Pandey (36 off 32) took India to the finish line after Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane had laid the platform for the victory with a 139-run opening stand.
The first Indian woman grappler to win an Olympic medal, a bronze in the 58kg freestyle at Rio, she was the obvious choice as P V Sindhu, India's only other medallist, who bagged a silver in the women's singles badminton, left for Hyderabad on Saturday.
Comeback man David Warner will be the cynosure of all eyes when last year's finalist Sunrisers Hyderabad open their campaign against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the 12th Indian Premier League, in Kolkata, o
Kolkata Knight Riders will be aiming to exploit Sunrisers Hyderabad's recent run of poor form
Former Australia batsman Simon Katich said Australian batsmen did not apply themselves after getting starts in the just concluded Test series, that led to their downfall.
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com rates the Indian players in England.
It was after many years that an Indian cricket team lived up to expectations outside the sub-continent.
The apex court asked the CBI to complete its probe in the accident case within 7 days.
Rohit Sharma's hopes of a Test comeback took a slight jolt as he was dismissed for a duck on the third and final day of the warm-up match between Board President's XI and South Africa.
This was due to the fact that they had already won the Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour.
'I believe Bumrah, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, all four can play in the playing XI.'
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was rested for the first three One-day Internationals against Sri Lanka next month and batting mainstay Virat Kohli will lead the side in his absence.
Dhoni would be the centre of discussion amid speculation that the Jharkhand player is contemplating retirement even though he hasn't spoken about it till now.
The former Pakistan captain is also confident that Yusuf Pathan will fire sooner than later.
Shaw made a stroke-filled 39-ball 63 to help Mumbai thrash Assam by 83 runs in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy game.
Ahead of start of play on Day 2, the former pacer was also seen having a chat with India's bowlers including Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja.
On paper, it is difficult to imagine how Bangladesh will even be able to compete in a format which has been their weakest till date.
590 cricketers -- including 370 Indian players and 220 overseas players -- will go under the hammer during the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
The World Cup disappointment will continue to linger but Kohli will fancy his team's chances in the series, notwithstanding the return of the swashbuckling Chris Gayle.
'The impact Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi, Mayank Markande, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar had on the IPL not only won hearts, but also the approval of the selectors,' says Ayaz Memon.
The Knight Riders have outplayed Rajasthan both in the home and away games this season.
E A S Prasanna, whom Ian Chappell rates as the greatest off-spinner ever, tells Harish Kotian what worked for Moeen and what didn't for Ashwin.
With the series already in their pocket, India will look to give some of the bench players a chance but there will be no let-up in the intensity as they eye a complete whitewash against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I in Mumbai on Sunday.
Star batsman Suresh Raina will look to get some batting practice ahead of the upcoming South Africa series along with some of the other fringe players as India 'A' take on Bangladesh 'A' in a three-match One-Day series, starting in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Peter Handscomb was also happy with the fact that Australia have been able to chase down big totals in the tour irrespective of formats.
Virat Kohli called the Bengal player the 'best wicketkeeper' in the world.
Having guided CSK to their second CLT20 trophy, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was happy with his team's show.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances