Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj produced a career-best 5-33 to dismantle Australia and bowl South Africa to an emphatic 98-run victory in the opening one day international in Cairns on Tuesday.
With no ODI series in Australia in the next two years, it is impossible to think that the legendary duo will again be seen Down Under in India blues.
Smith dislocated his right little finger in last month's World Test Championship final and will be required to wear a splint for five weeks, Cricket Australia said.
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green smashed blistering hundreds as Australia steamrollered South Africa by 276 runs in the third and final One-Day International.
Australia Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey termed India's thrilling win over England in the fifth Test as 'spectacular'.
Australia held their nerve in a tense chase, edging past India by two wickets to seal the series 2-0 despite a late fightback from the visitors on Thursday in Adelaide.
South Africa's two heaviest defeats have transpired when they fielded first and were accompanied by a lack of discipline as well as dropped chances.
'I wouldn't bowl to him (Gill) in England, that's for sure.'
'There will be guys that get opportunities. We've obviously got a few guys missing for this series (for) a well-earned rest.'
Over four decades, the India-Australia ODI rivalry has mirrored the evolution of both teams, from Australia's supremacy in the 2000s to India's resurgence post-2010. Come Sunday, this rivalry will be renewed as Shubman Gill will commence his first assignment as ODI captain in the opening game of the three match series, at the Optus stadium in Perth.
Pat Cummins captured the sentiment perfectly, calling this potentially the 'last chance' for fans Down Under to witness these legends in action. With both stalwarts set to be 39 and 40 respectively by the 2027 World Cup, every appearance carries added significance. Ro-Ko have been the heartbeat of Indian cricket for over 15 years. Their return brings an emotional lift to the team and raises expectations for the series against the world champions.
Bavuma said his hamstring was 'feeling good' ahead of his return, and the South African skipper also confirmed he would bat at number three for the opening match of the three-game series behind openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram.
Australia ruthlessly completed a 159-run victory over West Indies in the first Test in Barbados on Friday after Josh Hazlewood's five-wicket masterclass broke the hosts' resistance on a pitch that deteriorated into a bowler's paradise.
Speaking on Chase's dismissal, which came just after lunch, breaking a 67-run partnership with Hope, Sammy said, 'In our opinion, we saw the ball deviated onto the pad.'
Pat Cummins tore through South Africa before a Proteas fightback left the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 on a knife-edge at the end of an absorbing second day at Lord's.
Steve Smith's magnificent 71 guided Australia to 221 for seven at stumps on Day 3 of the second Test against the West Indies in Grenada on Saturday, helping the tourists to build a commanding 254-run lead despite late wickets and persistent rain interruptions.
The West Indies produced another dominant day with the ball against Australia and then survived a tense final hour Saturday to take the honours after the first day of the day-night third Test.
Nathan Lyon has no immediate plans of Test retirement as he yearns for one final away series win in India before calling time on his illustrious career.
Smith's unbeaten 120 is his second successive hundred of the series while Carey made a career-best 139 not out hitting 22 fours and three sixes between them.
Alex Carey reckons Australia might need to put at least 400 runs on the board if they bat first against South Africa
Skipper Pat Cummins, who missed the tour of Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child in February and was also ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign with an ankle injury, will take the reins against South Africa.
West Indies' fearsome bowling attacks of old, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph tore through Australia on Wednesday
Australia's winning streak in day-night Tests was ended in January by the West Indies, who won a cliffhanger by eight runs at the Gabba.
Australia and South Africa, two teams renowned for their batting prowess, will go head-to-head in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, aiming to secure a place in the Champions Trophy semifinals.
The Indian batters' inability to grind it out against a relentless Australian pace attack in testing conditions left the team precariously placed at 51/4 at the end of a rain-marred day three.
Australia carved out an 82-run lead over West Indies on day two of the first Test in Barbados on Thursday, with the hosts frustrated by several close umpiring calls that went against them.
Former No. 1-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja would open the innings for Australia in the WTC final against South Africa while the fit-again Cameron Green would bat at the No. 3 position.
Images from Day 4 of the fourth Test between Australia and India at the MCG on Sunday.
Young spin-bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly will replace injured Matthew Short in the Australian squad for the knock-out stages of the ongoing Champions Trophy.
Sri Lanka are still 518 runs behind and will need a Herculean effort to avoid the follow-on even though more rain is forecast for Saturday.
Josh Inglis smashed a maiden ODI century (120 not out) to lead Australia to a thrilling five-wicket victory over England in a high-scoring Champions Trophy match.
Josh Inglis slammed a brilliant century as Australia completed the highest chase in an ICC men's tournament against England in Lahore on Saturday.
Rahul played a scintillating knock of 77, with some eye-catching drives and peak Test match batting, before getting out to Mitchell Starc in the first session on Day 3.
Kyle Verreynne revealed his emotions almost got the better of him before he hit the winning runs to end South Africa's wait for a global trophy.
They will meet the winner of Wednesday's second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand in the final in Dubai on Sunday.
Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday.
Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch said that Alex Carey and Rishabh Pant, two left-handed wicketkeeper-batters will be extremely important for their respective sides during the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
Speaking ahead of the first Test from June 25 onwards at Barbados, Joseph said as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald, "To take 13 wickets across the series was a good feeling. A lot has changed. There were a lot of opportunities that came my way."
In the bowling rankings, Keshav Maharaj and Matt Henry have broken into the top five
Australia, who have already secured their place in the final of the World Test Championship against South Africa, won the opening Test, also in Galle, by an innings and 242 runs.
