'I kept urging Salman to see Pokiri, and one day, past midnight, he finally turned up at a Mumbai preview theatre to see it. Nervously, I waited for Salman's reaction to Pokiri. After watching it, he walked past me without a word. I followed anxiously, and before sitting in his car, he just signalled thumbs up.'
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.
A look back at a few memorable showdowns in the last decade and half that had the quintessential crests and troughs of Test cricket.
Former South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander says Jasprit Bumrah has set high standards for pacers across the world.
As he closes the most revered chapter of his career, here are some of his best Test knocks:
BCCI lifted the ban on use of saliva on the ball in IPL 2025 after majority of captains agreed to its proposal.
The BCCI is considering lifting the ban on applying saliva on the ball in IPL 2025.
Philander admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.
Philander was an important part of the Proteas pace troika, comprising Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, both of whom have retired from Tests.
Overall, in 25 matches Maharaj has picked up 59 wickets, averaging 17.76 with a bowling strike rate of 35.5.
'Having performed on these grounds, he'll feel that extra bit of confidence.' 'Of course, you need a bit of luck at the start, but if he gets off to a good start, he will get big runs.'
'We are known as a team who starts slow, so this time around we have to start well. There is a lot of pressure on players, (but then) it's international cricket and you want to keep it that way.'
South Africa seamer Vernon Philander will miss the World Cup clash against West Indies and is in doubt for the following game against Ireland next week, the team said on Tuesday.
Jos Buttler was heard swearing at Vernon Philander through the stump microphone on day five as the South African batted to save the Test for the home side
Vernon Philander is enjoying being "mentor" in the twilight of his career and wants more of his contemporaries to give back to the game instead of looking for "greener pastures".
Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada claimed four wickets each as South Africa ripped out Sri Lanka for 110 on the second day of the second Test.
"He could have avoided any contact but to me he is just as guilty. Trying some football skills to get a penalty??? Pity he didn't dive to top it off."
South Africa's new bowling sensation Vernon Philander is trying to stay grounded after becoming the second fastest bowler to grab 50 wickets in Test cricket.
Seamer Vernon Philander took career-best figures as rampant South Africa claimed a 72-run victory over India in a gripping first Test at Newlands on Monday.
Vernon Philander, South Africa's latest fast bowling sensation, had his participation in the second Test against Sri Lanka thrown into doubt after he pulled up with a knee injury in Durban, on Saturday.
Fast bowler Vernon Philander will return to international action for the first time in eight months after a freak injury when he plays for South Africa A against Zimbabwe A in Harare in a four-day match starting on Saturday. The 31-year-old has been sidelined since November after damaging ankle ligaments playing a warm-up game of soccer while on tour with South Africa in India.
Vernon Philander took five wickets as South Africa closed in on victory having reduced West Indies to 76 for two in their follow-on innings at the close of play on day three of the opening Test on Friday.
Philander's partnership with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel has earned the trio the label as the most-balanced and penetrating attack in world cricket.
'Even actresses who are mothers play leading roles. There's also been a dramatic shift in the kinds of roles available to women. It's no longer limited to being the heroine, the heroine's mother, aunty or vamp.'
Jasprit Bumrah is the most complete bowler in international cricket, said former South African seamer Vernon Philander.
South Africa pacer Vernon Philander, on Wednesday, questioned India's claims of being fully prepared for the three-match series, saying a fair assessment of where the visitors stand could only be made after the first Test beginning Friday.
South African pacer Vernon Philander feels losing pacer Morne Morkel to injury has compounded matters for his team in the opening Test against India.
Pacer Vernon Philander claimed six for 21 as South Africa thrashed Australia by a huge margin of 492 runs to claim the four-match series 3-1, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
The crowd may not be on their side but Cape Cobras' pace bowler Vernon Philander is not losing his sleep over that and feels home support would not make much of a difference when they take on Chennai Super Kings in a Champions League Twenty20 match, in Chennai, on Wednesday.
South Africa pacer Vernon Philander continued to move upward in the ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers after inspiring his side to an innings and 81 runs victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test at the Centurion.
South African seamer Vernon Philander, who missed the last Test against New Zealand owing to a hamstring injury, has returned to the squad for the first cricket Test match against Pakistan.
South Africa paceman Vernon Philander will miss the first two Tests against England because of injury, team officials said as the squad returned from their 3-0 hiding in India.
All-rounder Vernon Philander swept Cricket South Africa's Gala Awards, bagging three top awards, including the 'Cricketer of the Year' honour at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
South African strike bowler Dale Steyn could miss next week's third Test against England as he has yet to recover from a shoulder problem while fellow paceman Vernon Philander has been ruled out of the series, Cricket South Africa said.
The pacer injures ankle during warm-up session; Kyle Abbott has been called up as replacement
Paceman Vernon Philander became the fastest South African to take 100 Test wickets on Friday but India can claim the ascendancy at lunch on the third day of the first Test at the Wanderers.
Amidst a controversy over claims of political interference in the selection of Vernon Philander in the World Cup semi-final match against New Zealand, Cricket South Africa has clarified that the right-hand bowler was declared fit and available for selection by the medical team.
Keeping it simple in seamer-friendly conditions again paid dividends for South Africa's Vernon Philander who continued his impressive impact in Tests with another five-wicket haul on Thursday.
Rookie seam bowler Vernon Philander fired South Africa to an innings victory against Sri Lanka on Saturday to finish the first Test with a 10-wicket haul.
South Africa have included the world's number one test bowler Vernon Philander in their preliminary 30-man squad for the World Twenty20 tournament to be played in Bangladesh in March and April next year.
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