Australia captain Steven Smith has shrugged off his team's lamentable form on tour and is adamant his side will lift for the Test series against South Africa.
The International Cricket Council congratulated former South Africa Test captain AB de Villiers for an illustrious 14-year international career that saw him excel across all three formats of the game.
Quinton de Kock top scored as all South Africa's batsmen got among the runs in a score of 283 for three on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand at Centurion on Saturday.
He missed the ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, with Aiden Markram taking his place as an opener alongside vice-captain Quinton de Kock in the series.
Bairstow has returned to training but Root did not say whether he would have been available. British media have reported that he did not take part in any activities that could have aggravated the ankle injury.
A match referee had warned of disgraced Australian cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner "being involved in a ball-tampering incident" in the domestic Sheffield Shield in 2016, a media report said on Friday.
Cricket Australia has come under pressure from the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) to end the bans following the release of the Longstaff review.
'Australia has always prided itself on taking a highly competitive approach to international cricket. This will not change, however CA is confident that what occurred in Durban will remain an aberration'
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
The swashbuckling middle-order batsman scored 153, adding a record 78 for the final wicket with number 11 Vishwa Fernando, to guide his team to an epic one-wicket victory in the first Test against South Africa.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn took four wickets as South Africa seized control of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Day 2 and went to the close on 126 for four, an overall second innings lead of 170 runs.
South Africa took 16 Sri Lanka wickets in a little over two sessions to secure a ruthless victory by an innings and 118 runs in the third and final Test at the Wanderers on Saturday.
Rabada and Kohli had a verbal exchange during one of the IPL matches between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
South Africa's most experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj wants to be as consistent as the seasoned Indian duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin during the upcoming three-Test series.
Paceman Dale Steyn returned from a brief vacation to inspire South Africa and spinner Imran Tahir took four wickets as they throttled Pakistan's batsmen to win the third one-day international in Abu Dhabi by 68 runs on Wednesday.
Siddle said he was keen to see his friends back on the field but that by serving their bans in full they would be helping clean up the game.
David Warner will continue as Australia vice-captain despite his involvement in a heated exchange in the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, an incident which has drawn condemnation and put his fiery personality back in the spotlight.
Banned Australian duo Steve Smith and David Warner will look to share their wealth of experience with budding cricketers when they make their highly anticipated return to club cricket in Sydney on Saturday.
Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw smashed quick-fire centuries as South Africa crushed West Indies
Rediff.com brings you a wrap of big stories in pictures with the Best Sports Photos of the Week.
Shahid Afridi has announced his retirement from One-day Internationals after next year's World Cup.
It will be the first Test appearance in almost two years for the 33-year-old, who had taken time off from the longer version of game while continuing to dominate bowlers in limited overs.
Off-spinner Parveez Rasool on Sunday became the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to represent India in a One-Day International when he took the field against Bangladesh in the first match in Mirpur.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between South Africa and India, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the opening Test between South Africa and India, in Centurion, on Wednesday.
A century from stand-in skipper Faf du Plessis lifted South Africa to a huge 142-run win over Australia and a 2-0 lead in the five-match One-day International series at The Wanderers on Sunday.
After he whipped off the bails to run out AB de Villiers, Nathan Lyon leapt over him in celebration, dropping the ball on his opponent before joining his team mates in a jig of joy.
Steve Smith accused South Africa wicketkeeper Quniton de Kock of setting off a heated dispute by making a personal remark to David Warner
The countries will pin their hopes of victory on their quicks with seamer friendly wickets on order for the Tests in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and the contests set to be dominated by fiery exchanges of fast bowling.
Pakistan resumed their second innings needing a further 228 for victory with seven wickets in hand, but their chances faded when Olivier removed the dangerous Babar Azam (21) and captain Sarfraz Ahmed (0) in consecutive balls.
The Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi and senior batsman Younis Khan have emerged as strong contenders to make a comeback to the national team for the coming tours to West Indies and Zimbabwe after the selectors dumped them for the Champions Trophy.
Factbox on opening batsman Alastair Cook, who stepped down as England Test captain on Monday.
Top South African doubles tennis player Raven Klaasen has revealed that he has teamed up with Indian doubles icon and former world number one Leander Paes for next year.
Alastair Cook posted his first half-century of the series with an unbeaten 67 as England closed day two of the final Test on 138 for two, still 337 runs behind South Africa at Centurion Park on Saturday.
The paceman had injury problems in the recent ICC Champions Trophy in England, forcing him to miss the semi-final defeat by the hosts, and that has weighed heavily on the minds of the selectors with Test series coming up against Pakistan, India and Australia.
Cricket Australia (CA) said on Sunday they will conduct an investigation into a ball-tampering scandal during the third Test against South Africa that has prompted calls for captain Steve Smith to step down.
A trio of match winners in Stuart Broad, Joe Root and Ben Stokes offer England a bright future in Test cricket but unfortunately for Alastair Cook, there seems to be no end in sight in his long search for a worthy opening partner.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban on Saturday.
Paceman Kagiso Rabada led a brilliant South Africa bowling display that lifted the Proteas to a 47-run win over Australia in the triangular one-day international series in Guyana on Tuesday. After winning the toss and making 189 for nine off their 50 overs, South Africa's bowlers had a field day on a low, slow turning pitch at Providence Stadium in Georgetown as Australia crumbled to be all out for 142 off 34.2 overs. Australia made heavy weather of the run-chase right from the start, with the quick departure of dynamic opener David Warner (1), beaten by the pace of Wayne Parnell and trapped leg before. South Africa were rewarded for playing three specialist spinners but it was 21-year-old Rabada who led the way, using his genuine pace to claim 3 for 13 from seven overs.
Being told not to return home as "losers" by their country's sports minister merely reflects the passionate desire of all South Africans for a maiden World Cup triumph, captain AB de Villiers said on Saturday.
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