A look back at a few memorable showdowns in the last decade and half that had the quintessential crests and troughs of Test cricket.
Mohammed Shami's return to competitive cricket has been further pushed back after the veteran pacer was not picked in the Bengal Ranji Trophy squad.
The South African pacer however renders himself doubtful for 4th ODI
Former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel feels uncapped India left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan is a gem of a bowler.
Cheteshwar Pujara was the cornerstone of the Indian batting line-up in Tests, featuring in 103 matches in which he scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries.
Out of favour South African all-rounder Albie Morkel says India's hammering of the Proteas at the MCG demonstrated that the defending champions are capable of blowing any team away in the World Cup and big-ticket ICC events bring out the best in them.
The likes of Yashaswi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna are on their maiden Test tour of Australia.
Here are the crunch moments that were series-defining and the contributions of the players who came of age during the English summer.
Mohammed Shami will make his long-awaited comeback to competitive cricket in the Ranji Trophy.
Shami has been steadily rebuilding his form through domestic cricket. Making his Ranji Trophy return last November, he guided Bengal to a season-opening victory with a match haul of seven wickets.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna says the unpredictable nature of the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground will keep them in the hunt since batting won't be easy for Australia in the fourth innings.
Australia are the defending champions, having beaten New Zealand by 8 wickets in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE.
India went down by an innings and 32 runs -- their worst Test defeat on South African soil.
Former India spinner Sridharan Sriram has joined Lucknow Super Giants as assistant coach for IPL 2024 next year.
Eyeing a return to winning ways in their home IPL clash with the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer on Saturday said the team was working hard to avoid lapses on the field and come up with a sharper display.
Gurnoor Brar has been drafted in specifically to get some simulation for the high-arm action of Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana
Rana didn't disappoint Gambhir either as the young pacer grabbed three wickets, supporting skipper Jasprit Bumrah to bundle out Australia for 104 in their first innings.
Sanjiv Goenka said they are yet to arrive at a decision and are waiting for the BCCI to release the rules regarding retention.
Ahead of ODI World Cup, Pakistan team was dealt an injury blow with Haris Rauf missing India vs Pakistan's reserve day action.
Gambhir, who took over from Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup, has shared the Indian dressing room with the likes of Kohli, Rohit and Ashwin in the not-so-distant past.
In a blow to South Africa's spinning options, bowling all-rounder Jean-Paul Duminy was all but ruled out of the first Test starting, in Mohali, on Thursday.
Opening batsman Quinton de Kock provided the early flourish with the bat with his seventh century while fast bowler Morne Morkel applied the finishing touch with four wickets as South Africa beat India by 18 runs on Sunday to take a 2-1 series lead in Rajkot, on Sunday.
'It feels great when you contribute as an all-rounder, which I have been doing for a long time.'
Former Pakistan bowlers, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal have been appointed as the fast bowling and spin bowling coaches of the national squad for the upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand.
'Jassibhai told me "Don't run after wickets, just keep bowling consistently in one area and enjoy your bowling".'
Lucknow Super Giants bowling coach Morne Morkel was all praise for young Mayank Yadav, saying he generated some serious and disconcerting pace, which was a pleasing sight for the side as it aims to go the distance in the Indian Premier League.
Young pace sensation Lungi Ngidi has been rewarded for his recent performances with a place in South Africa's squad for the six-match ODI series against India starting in Durban on February 1.
Rabada reaches new milestone as Proteas take control over Bangladesh, on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh.
South Africa pacer Morne Morkel feels that the post-tea sessions will hold the key with the Proteas bowlers looking to inflict maximum damage on the Indian batsmen late in the day.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth and final Test in Delhi, on Saturday.
Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been handed an official reprimand by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to using abusive language and gestures during the second Test against South Africa in Dubai, after taking the wicket of Morne Morkel.
South Africa need seven wickets on the last day to secure victory in the first Test and go ahead in the two-match series as Bangladesh struggled on a rain-curtailed fourth day at Senwes Park on Sunday.
A change from spin-friendly wickets in India to ones favouring seamers means South Africa's pace attack are keenly looking forward to the Test series against England, which starts on Saturday.
India's vulnerability to short pitched bowling was exposed as South Africa speedsters Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel exploited seaming conditions to leave the visitors in tatters on a rain-hit opening day of the first Test in Centurion on Thursday.
Former South African batsman HD Ackerman has said that the team's familiarity with the Indian bowlers due to their exposure to the Indian Premier League (IPL) may be an advantage for them in the semi-final of the World Twenty20 on Friday.
While India dominated visiting teams on spin-friendly wickets to put together 18 consecutive series wins at home in last 12 years, the choice to play on turning tracks against New Zealand backfired in Pune and Mumbai.
Former India pacer Zaheer Khan on Wednesday assumed the role of Lucknow Super Giants team mentor.
Morne Morkel and Charl Langeveldt shared seven wickets to bowl South Africa to a 67-run victory over West Indies in the third One-day International.
Morne Morkel's penultimate over, which yielded just three runs and a wicket, helped table-toppers Delhi Daredevils snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, said a disappointed Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid after his side slumped to an unexpected one-run loss in an Indian Premier League match in New Delhi on Sunday.
Senior Delhi Daredevils batsman Virender Sehwag batted for around 25 minutes during the team's net session as pacer Morne Morkel hinted that the batsman might just be ready to play his first match of the sixth edition of Indian Premier League.
