Cricket

India tour of South Africa 2021-22

India batting coach Vikram Rathour on Tuesday (January 11) said that he was impressed with Test skipper Virat Kohli's discipline on Day 1 of the ongoing third Test against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town.&nbsp;Kohli played a patient and well-crafted 79 but South Africa gained the upper hand by bowling out the visitors for a below par score of 223 on Day 1 of the series-decider.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“There was never concern with the way he (Kohli) was batting, I mean he was always batting well, I thought as a batting coach, I was never concerned that he is not batting well, he was looking very good in the nets, he was looking very good in the game also, he was getting starts,” Rathour said in the virtual press conference after the day's play.&nbsp;&nbsp;“One good change today, he was more disciplined, I agree with that, so he really looked good, really good solid and with a bit of (more) luck, he could have converted into a big one, but I am happy (with) the way he played,” elaborated Rathour.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the overall batting performance, Rathour did not sound too pleased as he said, “These are challenging conditions, not easy conditions to score runs in, but you are right, we are below par. We could have scored 50/60 more runs, that’s what we were at-least expecting,”.&nbsp;“Virat played a phenomenal innings... Pujara was looking really good, but then they bowled a good spell in the morning, the conditions were overcast and they were challenging (for batting), but again I thought there were some soft dismissals in the later part of the innings, we could have done better definitely,” he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the batting coach, there were soft dismissals in the latter part of the innings and the batters could have done a better job.&nbsp;South Africa are 17/1 at stumps. Indian pacers are expected to pick early wickets on Day 2 to restrict the Proteas. India eye an historic series win as the series is levelled 1-1. India have never won a Test series in South Africa.

india-tour-of-south-africa-17-dec-2021

He was more disciplined: Batting coach Rathour happy with one change Kohli made in 79-run knock

India's star speedster Jasprit Bumrah walked down the memory lane and shared a nostalgic note on his Instagram handle ahead of the decider Test match against South Africa in Cape Town.&nbsp;The 28-year-old recalled his Test debut which happened to be at Newlands and four years down the line life has come full circle for the Indian quick who again found himself at the same venue. This time, with a different set of challenges and a different mission. A mission to win the first Test series for India in the Rainbow Nation.&nbsp;“Cape Town, January 2018 – is where it all began for me in Test cricket. Four years on, I’ve grown as a player and a person and to return to this ground brings back special memories,” Bumrah tweeted after the team’s first training session at the venue.&nbsp;The 28-year-old Bumrah made his Test debut here in 2018 and took four wickets in the match, including that of AB de Villiers. The Indian team lost that match but Bumrah took a five-wicket haul in the Johannesburg Test to help the visitors to a fine win.&nbsp;With a mindset to end the series 2-1, India will slug it out with the hosts in the series-deciding third Test from January 11- January 15, and Bumrah will be expected to play an instrumental role with the ball.&nbsp;Bumrah has grown into the team’s leading pacer, picking up more than 100 wickets in overseas conditions. Overall, Bumrah has taken 107 wickets in just 26 matches and played a role in India’s major wins in England and Australia. Interestingly, Bumrah has only played two Test matches at home so far.&nbsp;India's regular captain Virat Kohli is also expected to return for the third Test as he missed the second Test due to back spasm. However, he was seen practicing in the nets in the close observation of India's head coach Rahul Dravid, which is a good sign for India.

'Cape Town brings back special memories', says Bumrah ahead of 3rd Test

KL Rahul’s ODI captaincy got off to a disastrous start as India were whitewashed in the three-ODI series by Temba Bavuma-led South Africa. Deepak Chahar revived the run chase but his wicket in the 48th over led to India losing the third ODI by four runs. With the whitewash, Rahul became the first Indian captain to lose his first three ODIs in a row.&nbsp;It was India’s first whitewash in the format since February 2020 where Virat Kohli-led India lost the three-ODI series on New Zealand tour. This is also the fifth time India lost a bilateral ODI series (three or more ODIs).&nbsp;&nbsp;Chahar’s 54-run knock could not save India from loss but kept the game alive till the last over. South Africa won the match by just four runs which is the narrowest margin of win in an ODI for the hosts over India. Previously, the five-run win over in Kanpur in 2015 was their narrowest win against India in the format.&nbsp;Chahar shared a 55-run partnership with Jasprit Bumrah for the eighth wicket. It is the second highest partnership for India for eighth or lower in ODIs against South Africa. It went past Shardul Thakur and Bumrah’s unbeaten 51-run partnership in the first ODI as well. Chahar also became the fifth Indian batter to score a half-century against South Africa in 50-over format while batting at seven or lower position.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the run chase, Virat Kohli scored 65 runs from 84 deliveries. Once again, Kohli could not manage to hit a century despite scoring fourth fifty in five ODIs. The former Indian skipper has now gone without an ODI century for 18 innings which is the longest margin between centuries in his career. The previous longest drought of centuries came in 2011 when Kohli went century-less for 17 innings.&nbsp;Despite the defeat, India managed to score 283 runs while chasing 288. This is the third-highest ODI total by a team while chasing at the venue. Sri Lanka and Australia have scored 327 and 296 respectively against South Africa while chasing. However, the record for highest successful run chase belongs to hosts. They chased down 259 against England in 2020.&nbsp;Earlier in the first innings, South African Quinton de Kock scored 124. It was De Kock's sixth ODI century against India in 16 innings. He became the fastest to six ODI centuries against India. The southpaw also became the fourth wicketkeeper-batter to score 1,000 or more ODI runs against India.

KL Rahul's unwanted captaincy record to South Africa's narrowest win over India: All records in Cape Town thriller

Indian Test team’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat against South Africa in the three-match Test series had raised multiple questions about the team’s performance and the team selection as well. Indian batsmen- Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane’s dismal show in the Test series made matters worse as the two batsmen face a big question mark regarding their place in the Test team.&nbsp;Many experts and former cricketers have spoken on this matter and have said that the time has come to drop these two batsmen and focus on batsmen like Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari.&nbsp;Shastri's wordsIn a situation like this, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has opened up on this topic. While talking to Sports Tak the former Indian team coach said that both Pujara and Rahane have been two “very important players” for him and “for the success of the team”; when he was the coach of the Indian cricket team.&nbsp;“I haven’t seen much of Pujara and Rahane lately but when I was the coach these were very important players for me and for the success of the team. I always believed in current form and I could gauge that in the nets - the body language of the player, how his feet are moving, what is his state of mind. For me scorebook wasn’t important,” Shastri told Sports Tak in an exclusive interview in Oman where the Howzat Legends League Cricket tournament is currently being played.&nbsp;&nbsp;2017 incidentWhile talking about the team selection and giving chance to a particular player, Shastri recalled an incident that took place back in&nbsp;2017.&nbsp;"In 2017 when I came back, I took over from Anil Kumble. He had a plan to have some continuity for the opening position. One of the openers was Murali Vijay or KL Rahul and with them there was Abhinav Mukund and there was Shikhar Dhawan too. It was my second innings when we went to Sri Lanka. He (Shikhar) got to bat at no.6, top order failed and he got 25-30.&nbsp;&nbsp;"So, I went up to Virat and told him we should have him opening the innings but Virat told me that no because we had decided something else. Next day I saw him in the nets and I said I will have to say something because Shikhar has to be there in the team. Very same game he scored 190-odd runs and he went on to play for next three years. “So Dravid has to decide if he wants to persist with them or if there are any players to replace these experienced players,” recalled the 59-year-old former India head coach.&nbsp;

'When I was the coach these were very important players for me,' Shastri talks about Pujara and Rahane's performance

After winning the Test series 2-1 against India, the South Africa cricket team defeated India in the ODI series 3-0. In the last match of the ODI series that was played on Sunday (January 23) in Cape Town, the hosts secured a victory by 4 runs.&nbsp;&nbsp;India’s Deepak Chahar played a brilliant knock of 54 runs off 34 balls but that was not enough as the KL Rahul-led Indian team eventually had to lose the match.&nbsp;While talking about the final match of the ODI series, South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma did admit that “things were a bit crazy at the end.”&nbsp;Bavuma's words“Things were a bit crazy at the end. The complacency got to us when we thought we had the game in the bag but we managed to bring things back. A little bit crazy," Bavuma said in the post-match presentation.&nbsp;“Very satisfying, it’s mission accomplished for us as a team. Not many people gave us much of a chance. I hope we’ve shown with our performances we’ve got some more supporters, even with you guys in the commentary box," the South Africa skipper added.&nbsp;Quinton de Kock's centurySouth Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock played a superb knock of 124 runs 130 balls and helped his side in getting a good start.&nbsp;His splendid batting show even earned him the Man of the Match award as well.&nbsp;Talking about the Proteas wicketkeeper, Bavuma said that he shows what a “valuable asset” he is.&nbsp;“Quinton’s been great, he’s shows what a valuable asset he is. Rassie has also been tremendous. The batters as a whole were quite good. The bowling as well, not individually today but yes as a group," Bavuma said.&nbsp;After defeating the Indian team in Test series, this ODI whitewash will certainly provide the Proteas a big boost and skipper Bavuma believes that it will “do good” for their confidence.&nbsp;“This was a big challenge and obstacle in our journey, winning the two series will do good for our confidence. The Test series was the hardest series I was a part of, the Indian bowlers kept asking the hard questions, even the fielding intensity was high. In one-dayers too it wasn’t easy, very challenging. Even in these conditions, which were more subcontinent-like, it’s another feather in our cap," Bavuma explained after the final ODI.&nbsp;

'Mission accomplished,' says South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma after ODI series victory against India

In the final ODI against South Africa that was played on January 23 (Sunday), in Cape Town, team India had to concede defeat but India’s Deepak Chahar played a terrific innings of 54 runs off 34 balls and kept his side's chances of winning the game alive. But in the 48th over South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi dismissed Chahar and Indian team lost the match eventually by 4 runs.&nbsp;&nbsp;While talking about Chahar’s performance, India head coach Rahul Dravid said that Indian team management would want to give him “more games.” Dravid also feels that Chahar’s availability is good for the team as it gives them “a lot more options.”&nbsp;Dravid's words“It is nice to have people like him and Shardul Thakur as well, who we have seen in the last couple of games, contribute with the bat as well. So, obviously, the more and more players like this who can contribute lower down, certainly makes a big difference and give us more options. So, certainly we would like to give Deepak more games along with Shardul and lot of other people who can step up in the course of next year or so and give us depth in the side," Dravid said during a post-match interaction with the media.&nbsp;“I mean Deepak Chahar has shown in the opportunities he has gotten with us in Sri Lanka and over here well, he has got some really good ability with the bat. We know what he can do with the ball as well. I have seen him at India A as well and I know he can bat really well so certainly gives us a lot more options,” the head coach added.&nbsp;ODI series defeatIndian team had to suffer a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series and Dravid thinks that this series has been “a good eye-opener” for them as the team have not “played many ODIs after the 2019 World Cup.”&nbsp;“I think this ODI series has been a good eye-opener for us. We have not played a lot of ODIs, this has been my first stint with the ODI side. Even the team itself has not played many ODIs after the 2019 World Cup. Luckily, we have got time to go before the 2023 World Cup. It is going to be a lot of cricket in white-ball format till 2023," the 49-year-old head coach said.&nbsp;Lack of balanceWhile talking about the all-rounders, Dravid said that the team did miss some players who help to balance the squad. He also felt that the team will have more depth when Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja will be back to the team.&nbsp;“I think if you are a little bit honest, some of the guys who help us balance the squad out and give us those all-round options at Nos 6, 7 and 8 are probably not here, and available for selection,” Dravid said.&nbsp;“Hopefully, when they (Hardik and Jadeja) come back, it will give us lot more depth, it allows us then to probably play in a slightly different style,” Dravid said.

Rahul Dravid plans to give Deepak Chahar more games; makes a big statement

South Africa head coach and former wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has admired the South African team's performance after a 3-0 whitewash against India, after the team went through a period of transition in the last 24 months. The Proteas were hampered by various on and off-field issues during the last two years, but the series win against India will surely provide the Proteas required motivation and will boost them up for good performance in the upcoming tournaments.&nbsp;According to Boucher, the team had already done enough to be one of the best in the current time, but needed results to make a point.&nbsp;Boucher's words "We spoke about our journey and not worrying about the series," Boucher said after the third ODI win, in Cape Town. “The progression has been great. I think we turned the corner a while ago from a team perspective but obviously we needed the results to back it up. "We wanted to win 3-0. We've been through the hard times and only once you've been through the hard times do you really appreciate the good ones. "We appreciate this, but our feet are firmly planted on the ground. This is just a nice chapter in our continued journey. We have a captain in Tembs (Bavuma) that really is demanding on results and that's good," he added.&nbsp;Multiple problems South Africa cricket had to suffer on multiple issues in last few years. Retirement of players like AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and many others had left a void in the team as they went through a period of transition. Moreover, issues like racism and administrative problems had also hampered the progress of the team in on-field battles. "I think you will appreciate that I can't answer that," the 45-year-old said while congratulating the South African team. "We tried a few things in Covid times. We had to get a deeper squad. We gave a lot of opportunities to a lot of players and I think we are starting to reap the rewards now," Boucher explained. The Proteas finished the home series against India in an astonishing fashion as they defeated the former World Cup winners by four runs in the final ODI of the series. The crushing blow has left Team India deep trouble as they had earlier lost the Test series 1-2. The Indian team did show some resilience in the final ODI but failed to win it eventually.

‘We needed the results to back it up,' Mark Boucher applauds his team after difficult last 24 months

Former India cricketer and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir was tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, on January 25 (Tuesday). The former Indian batsman posted his update on Twitter and said that he is “experiencing mild symptoms.”&nbsp;He also said that all the people who have come in contact with him should get their tests done.&nbsp;Gambhir's post“After experiencing mild symptoms, I tested positive for COVID today. Requesting everyone who came into my contact to get themselves tested. #StaySafe,” Gambhir wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;Gambhir was recently seen doing commentary during the India and South Africa series.&nbsp;World Cup-winning squadGambhir who was an integral part of the 2011 World Cup-winning side has played 58 Test matches and 147 ODIs. Gambhir made his debut in Test cricket in 2004 against Australia, in Mumbai.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the longest format of the game he had amassed a total of 4154 runs at an average of 41.95 and he scored 22 half centuries and 9 centuries in this format.&nbsp;His highest score of 206 runs came against Australia in the first innings of the Test match that was played in Delhi, back in 2008.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other hand, he made his debut in ODIs back in 2003 against Bangladesh, in Dhaka. In this format, he had scored 5238 runs at an average of 36.98. In ODIs he had scored 11 centuries and 34 half centuries with a highest score of 150 not out.&nbsp;The 40-year-old batter registered his highest score of 150 not out against Sri Lanka, back in 2009, in Kolkata.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the shortest format of the game, the Delhi-born batter played 36 matches and scored 932 runs at an average of 27.41.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gambhir was also a part of the India’s T20 World Cup-winning side in 2007.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Indian Premier League (IPL) the southpaw has been a part of the two teams- Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He also led KKR wo IPL glory in 2012 and 2014.&nbsp;In IPL, he has played in 154 matches and scored 4218 runs at an average of 31.01. He registered 36 half centuries in IPL with highest score of 93.&nbsp;

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir tests positive for Covid-19

When Team India went on to tour South Africa in the hope of winning the Test match series in the Rainbow Nation after 29 years, everyone felt that this time in the leadership of Virat Kohli, India might end the Test series win drought but unfortunately India failed again as they lost the Test series 1-2. In the decider Test in Cape Town, South Africa defeated India by seven wickets on Friday (January 14).&nbsp;&nbsp;Proteas maintained their home dominance, while Team India's captain Virat Kohli has earned some unwanted records to his name. Indian bowlers also did not lag behind in contributing to the loss. They might have dominated on the best of the world pitches but could not carve the exact length on the fast pitches of South Africa. Consequently they bore the brunt as they failed to earn their side a coveted victory. The third Test match saw many records being made in Cape Town. Let's have a look at them. India's Test series defeat in South Africa so far is as follows:1992/93 - Lost (0-1) 1996/97 - Lost (0-2) 2001/02 - Lost (0-1) 2006/07 - Lost (1-2) 2010/11 - Draw (1-1) 2013/14 - Lost (0-1) 2017/18 - Lost (1-2) 2021/22 - Lost (1-2) This was the first time under the captaincy of Virat Kohli when India failed to defend a 150 + score in the second innings. In Cape Town Test, India set a target of 212 runs and lost by seven wickets.&nbsp;Virat Kohli as a Test captain when India set 150+ targetWon - 25 Draw - 2 Lost - 1*&nbsp;In the terms of losing most Test matches in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries, Kohli has equalled MS Dhoni's record. Now both the captains have come on equal footing with 14 losses.&nbsp;Indian captain who lost most Test matches in SENA countries14 - Virat Kohli 14 - MS Dhoni&nbsp;Most of the lost matches for India in any country under the captaincy of Virat Kohli6 wins - out of 10 matches played in England 3 wins - out of 7 matches played in Australia 3 wins - out of 5 matches played in South Africa&nbsp;Indian bowlers disappointWhile South African bowlers stood out in this series, Indian bowlers despite having the best in the line-up failed to match their set standards. It also made a big difference in India's defeat in the Test series.&nbsp;In the three-match Test series, South African bowlers scalped 59 wickets at an average of 20.13 while Indian bowlers who were overshadowed by South African bowlers snared 43 wickets at an average of 24.58.&nbsp;South Africa became the only team to do soIn the 21st century, South Africa are the only team so far who have thrice chased down the 200 + target against India in Test cricket. Barring them no other team in the world have been able to do this against India.

Cape Town record book: Virat equals Dhoni's unwanted record

South Africa cricket team clinched the three-match Test series by defeating India in the third Test by 7 wickets. Virat Kohli-led Indian team had won the first Test by 113 runs but eventually they failed to carry on the winning momentum.&nbsp;&nbsp;While talking about their strategies and game plan, South Africa head coach Mark Boucher pointed out that “getting 30-40 runs in the first hour” was exactly what the Proteas had needed.&nbsp;The strategy"It just set up the change room, getting 30-40 runs in the first hour was exactly what we needed. We saw this in the second Test as well that when you are start getting 250-60 runs required, it becomes a difficult as a bowling unit to slow the game down. so that's really went according to the plan today. It was a tense day but a day the guys will remember that how to win in tough situations, not in just this Test match but last Test match as well," Boucher said in a post-match press conference.&nbsp;"When you are in the batting change room, the runs feel miles away and when you are in the fielding or bowling change room, then you always feels that runs are never quite enough, so just trying to find a bit of a balance. We knew that the conditions are going to be really tough today, as its extremely hot outside. The mount they bowled in the first innings, played sport as well. So getting through the first hour with the run scale was very important for us," he added.&nbsp;South African fightbackAfter the defeat in the first Test, things looked little uncertain for the hosts. Indian team, on the other hand were pumped up after their sensational first Test victory and seemed the favourites to take the winning momentum forward but in reality, that was not the case. South African team, under the leadership of Dean Elgar showed extreme courage and their gritty mindset in winning two back-to-back Test matches and claiming a terrific series victory.&nbsp;&nbsp;Apart from Elgar’s leadership qualities, Boucher also mentioned Temba Bavuma’s batting as well. According to the Proteas head coach, players like Bavuma and Elgar are “real fighters.”&nbsp;&nbsp;"The team showed great character and fight, but that did not surprise me because Dean Elgar is a captain that leads from the front and Temba Bavuma too. That fight showed in Dean and Temba's batting as well, so the guys will certainly follow that. When you have real fighters like that as leaders, then that will probably be the character of the team as well," coach Boucher explained.

'Getting 30-40 runs in the first hour was exactly what we needed,' South Africa head coach reveals their strategy after Test series win

Right after the disputed DRS controversy involving India's skipper Virat Kohli, which occurred during the third Test match between India and South Africa in Cape Town, a lot of reactions have been come in which don't seem to stop anytime soon. The latest to comment on this is former South Africa batter Daryll Cullinan who said that Kohli got away with 'unacceptable behavior' and termed the incident 'out of line'.&nbsp;"I love Virat Kohli, I love his cricket, I love the way he plays. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere to say 'hang on, you must be severely punished'. I just cannot believe that they could think along those sorts of lines. That's just out of line. For far too long Virat Kohli has got away with behaviour which is unacceptable on a cricket field. But he's Virat Kohli and I don't like it, quite frankly," Cullinan told ESPNCricinfo.&nbsp;Apart from the great display of cricket from both the sides, the series-deciding Test will also be bookmarked for the DRS uproar that took place on Day 3 of the decider Test where South Africa routed India by seven wickets and claimed the three-match Test series 2-1. South Africa captain Dean Elgar was given out LBW by on-field umpire Marais Erasmus off Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling.&nbsp;&nbsp;The left-hander decided to take the review. The replays, much to the surprise of many including umpire Erasmus, showed the ball would have gone over the stumps. The third umpire asked Erasmus to reverse his decision and Elgar survived, which infuriated the Indian cricketers. The Indian skipper walked upto the stump mic and let it rip. Other Indian players like KL Rahul and Ravichandran Ashwin were also heard expressing their dissatisfaction.&nbsp;Earlier, Virat also spoke about the DRS row and said he has no comments to make on it."I have no comment to make on it. We understood what happened on the field and people on the outside don't know exact details of what goes on the field so for me to try and justify what we did and say we got carried away is all… If we had gotten charged up and picked three wickets there then that would have been the moment that changed the game," Kohli said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

'I love Virat Kohli but he got away with unacceptable behaviour on a cricket field,' former SA batter on DRS row

The Indian Test team led by Virat Kohli had to suffer a painful loss against South Africa in the recently-concluded three-match Test series. The series might have been a heartbreaking one for Indian cricket fans and followers but for neutral supporters there could have been nothing more action-packed than this Test series.&nbsp;&nbsp;The three-match Test series had almost everything to offer, a viewer could have asked for. From results in Test matches to memorable comeback- everything was in the offing. But apart from those incidents there were some controversies as well.&nbsp;A fresh fightOne such controversy had taken place on the third day of the third Test match between Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and South Africa’s 21-year-old pacer Marco Jansen.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the 55th over of India’s second innings Jansen and Bumrah were seen exchanging some words between them. The situation could have gone out of control but the umpires were prompt enough to intervene and end the verbal contest there.&nbsp;While talking about this incident, former South Africa batsman Ashwell Prince praised the left-arm South African pacer as he “did not back down” and “did not think about the IPL.”&nbsp;Playing for same teamIt is important to mention, that both Bumrah and Jansen were part of Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise. Though Jansen was released by MI and the South African pacer will have to get a new team from the auction.&nbsp;“One more thing I particularly enjoyed during #SAvIND series, the fact that #MarcoJansen didn’t back down once in the battle with Bumrah! He didn’t think about the IPL and how it might affect his relationships with people there. He put his country 1st, the way it should be,” Prince wrote on his Twitter profile.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jansen had been in superb form in the Test series against India. He managed to pick up 19 wickets against India in the Test series.&nbsp;The former South Africa opening batsman was happy with the way Jansen had put his “country first.”&nbsp;“Well done kid, don’t ever change. You be you and if people can’t respect you for being you, being competitive, putting your country 1st. That’s their problem. Sport is about competing, not giving an inch and upholding the spirit of the game. Not about bank balances. #lesson2youth” Prince added.

'Well done kid,' former South Africa batsman praises this pacer for not backing down

Virat Kohli's decision to relinquish Test captaincy on Saturday (January 15) has not only shocked everyone but has also raised an urgency to fill the void for the leader role in the longest format.&nbsp; Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul - who could be the perfect fit for the coveted post? The answer is still up in the air.But BCCI sources have somewhat dropped a hint which could give a clarity on the conundrum that looms large."Rohit is the front runner to be the next Test captain but selectors could have a fresh discussion on it given KL Rahul being the other name for the captainship role," a BCCI source told Sports Tak.&nbsp;As per the process, a designated vice captain would become the next captain but selectors could debate all formats captaincy being a burden for one individual and go for a separate captain in Tests cricket.&nbsp;Kohli had earlier relinquished his T20I captaincy, at the end of the T20 World Cup in October-November, citing workload. In an Instagram post, however, he had expressed his desire to continue as India’s Test and ODI captain.“Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian team in Test and ODI cricket,” he posted on September 16.&nbsp;The selectors, however, were averse to having separate captains in white-ball cricket. Accordingly, they appointed Rohit as ODI skipper on top of his T20I leadership. Kohli was retained as the Test captain.According to Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI had requested Kohli not to relinquish his T20I captaincy. “We (BCCI) had requested Virat not to step down as T20I captain,” Ganguly had said.&nbsp;During the pre-departure press conference on Wednesday (December 15), ahead of India’s tour of South Africa, Kohli contradicted that, saying nobody had communicated with him in that regard which sparked a multi-dimensional debate.&nbsp;“I was never told not to give up T20I captaincy. There was no prior communication to me at all since I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the 8th of December, where I got a call before the selection meeting. The chief selector (Chetan Sharma) discussed with me the Test team, to which we both agreed. And before ending the call, I was told the five selectors have decided I will not be the ODI captain, to which I replied, ‘okay, fine’. In the selection call afterwards, we chatted about it briefly. That’s what happened. There was no communication prior to that at all,” Kohli had said.&nbsp;This was not it. Later, chairman of the selection committee of the Indian cricket team Chetan Sharma refuted Virat's allegations that he was not asked to take back his resignation from T20 captain. While addressing a press conference held in the evening on Friday 31st December 2022, Sharma had said that Virat Kohli was asked to continue as T20 captain for the sake of Indian cricket. Sharma also reconfirmed that he had personally called Virat Kohli and told that the selection committee was of the opinion to keep the same captain for white-ball cricket.&nbsp;It was like someone opened the Pandora Box of Indian cricket. A lot has happened in a span of five months for the 33-year-old.&nbsp; Virat stepped down as Royal Challengers Bangalore after the IPL 2021. Then quit T20 captaincy which was followed by his axe from ODI lead role. And now finally his decision to step down from the Test captaincy. All this in mere five months, which says a lot about the mental shape Virat must have been through all this while.&nbsp;In the 68 matches that Virat Kohli captained, India won 40, lost 17 and drew 11. Out of the 40 victories, 24 were at home and 16 were away wins. India did not lose any Test series at home under the captaincy of Kohli. India won all 11 series at home. India have only lost two tests at home under the 33-year-old batter.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma who is yet to captain India in the longest format of the game, will be seen as the final frontier for the coveted post given the volume of experience he brings in with him and the success he has tasted while captaining in the other formats. On the other hand KL Rahul who started off with a loss while leading the India side in Tests, is also seen as the next option for the captainship role. &nbsp;

Rohit or Rahul? Selectors sweating over who to give Test captaincy to

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step down from Test captaincy on Twitter and since then the debate is just not stopping about what actually triggered the 33-year-old to do so. Why did Virat, who recently stepped down from ODI and T20I captaincy respectively, all of a sudden relinquished the Test captaincy? Where everyone is scratching their head helplessly, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has come out with his statement on the big decision.&nbsp;Sunil Gavaskar told India Today that Virat Kohli decided to step down from the captaincy only after the Test series loss to South Africa. According to Gavaskar, there was probably a thing in Virat Kohli’s mind that he can also be removed from the Test captaincy after the defeat in this Test series.&nbsp;He said, ‘I am not surprised at all when Virat Kohli quits the captaincy. I thought that after the defeat, he would announce to leave the captaincy in the press conference itself, but then this decision would have seemed angry, so maybe he stayed for 24 hours.""I have a feeling that Virat Kohli realized that after the loss in the Test series, he can also be removed from the Test captaincy. Maybe that’s why he left the captaincy," he further added. Virat Kohli was removed from the ODI captaincy just before the South Africa tour. There was also a dispute between Virat Kohli and BCCI. There were reports that Virat Kohli wanted to continue captaining the ODI team but the BCCI decided to keep the same captain for T20 and ODI. Now it is difficult to guess what is the reason for leaving the Test captaincy.&nbsp;Gavaskar on being asked about who could the next in line to succeed Virat for the coveted role, proposed Rishabh Pant's name.“I would look at Rishabh Pant as the next India captain. And for one reason only, just like Rohit Sharma was given the captaincy of Mumbai Indians, look at the change in his batting after that,” he said.&nbsp;“Suddenly the responsibility of being the captain meant that instead of playing those beautiful cameos, he was scoring 100, 150, 200. And that sense of responsibility if given to Rishabh Pant will make him score many of those wonderful hundreds that he scored,” Gavaskar added.

Gavaskar makes a shocking statement on Virat's resignation from Test captaincy

When Team India takes the field against South Africa for the ODI series, it will be for the first time in seven years that Virat Kohli will be featuring in an Indian side only as a player and not as a captain. With an eye on long-awaited 71st century, few more records will be in sight for India’s batting maestro when he steps out on the field on Wednesday (January 19) for the first ODI at Boland Park, Paarl.&nbsp;Kohli stands eighth-highest among batters with most runs in ODIs against South Africa with 1,287 runs to his name. He is also fourth among Indians on the list. Kohli is just 27 runs away from surpassing head coach Rahul Dravid (1,309 runs) and Sourav Ganguly (1,313 runs) to become the second-highest Indian run-getter after Sachin Tendulkar (2,001 runs). Ponting (1,879 runs), Kumar Sangakkara (1,789 runs), Steve Waugh (1,581 runs) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (1,559 runs) are the other four batters ahead of former Indian skipper.&nbsp;&nbsp;887 runs out of Kohli's tally of 1,287 have been scored in South Africa. The 33-year-old needs 171 runs more to surpass both Dravid (930 runs) and Ganguly (1048 runs) to become the third-highest visiting run-getter in the format in the rainbow nation after Tendulkar (1,453 runs) and Ponting (1,423 runs).&nbsp;Kohli needs 113 runs more to become the third Indian batter to have scored 1000-plus runs in four or more countries. He has so far scored 4,994 runs in India, 1,316 runs in England and 1,327 runs in Australia. He will hence surpass Dravid, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to stand joint-second alongside Ganguly with most 1000-plus ODI run tallies in three countries. Tendulkar stands atop having achieved the feat in six different countries.&nbsp;The focus will remain on Kohli, not just how he adjusts to the new role, but how the lessening of captaincy burden will impact his batting figures. Kohli's numbers in Test cricket show a significant dip. He averages only 28.14 in his last 15 Tests with six half-centuries. However, during the same period, Kohli has remained equally threatening in the ODIs, scoring 649 runs in his last 15 matches at an average of 43.36 and strike rate of 92.45, which includes eight half-centuries.&nbsp;44th ODI ton will only bring him closer to Tendulkar's all-time record tally of 49 centuries in the format. It will also take his international tally of centuries to 71, placing him joint-second alongside Australian great Ponting. The century will also place him joint-second alongside Tendulkar (5) and Quinton de Kock (5) for the most centuries in India-South Africa clashes with AB de Villiers stands atop with six century scores.

Kohli on the verge of surpassing Dravid, Ganguly in 1st ODI vs South Africa if he scores 27 runs

Indian batting lineup will breathe a sigh of relief as in-form South Africa speedster Kagiso Rabada will not be available in the three-ODI series that will begin on January 19 at Boland Park, Paarl. Rabada has been released from the ODI squad due to high workload. Cricket South Africa (CSA) have not named any replacement for the 26-year-old.&nbsp; &nbsp;This is a huge blow for Temba Bavuma-led side as Rabada was the highest wicket-taker in the recently-concluded Test series with 20 wickets to his name at an impressive average of 19.05. Apart from Rabada, Proteas premier fast bowler Anrich Nortje is also unavailable for selection as he got injured before Test series.&nbsp; &nbsp;In Rabada’s absence, it is likely that in-form Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi will lead the bowling attack with the new ball. They will have support of veteran left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell and Dwaine Pretorius.&nbsp; &nbsp;The last time India took on the Proteas in an ODI series on South Africa soil, Rabada was out-of-form and could take only five wickets from five appearance with an economy rate over six runs per over. India created history and won the ODI series 5-1 under Virat Kohli’s leadership.&nbsp; &nbsp;On the other hand, wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock will return to the squad after he announced his Test retirement after defeat in Centurion.&nbsp; &nbsp;South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock(w), Janneman Malan, Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Sisanda Magala, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dwaine Pretorius, Aiden Markram, Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen &nbsp;India Squad: KL Rahul(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, Jayant Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Navdeep Saini, Suryakumar Yadav

Big relief for Team India as South Africa's highest wicket-taker in Test series ruled out of ODIs

After a surprise exit from Test captaincy from Virat Kohli on Saturday (January 15) the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors' panel have started to work on the next captaincy options. According to a BCCI source, the board is reluctant to make an immediate appointment and will speak to the frontline candidates before making the call. Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul are front runners for the position, while former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has urged Rishabh Pant to be the next captain.&nbsp;“For BCCI its a big question and tough task to pick Test captain after Virat Kohl's resignation as skipper. BCCI is not in haste to take the call and name Test captain immediately. Picking a captain is not an easy task. Selectors and secretary will sit with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul and coach Rahul Dravid to know what they feel and how comfortable are they for taking Test captain's responsibility," a source told Sports Tak. Asked about Rohit and Rahul's possibility to take over the captaincy role, the source replied, “We know that Rohit has experience in all formats and he has done captaincy as and when required. He was deputy of Virat and that's why he is the front runner. On the other hand, KL has just started but you never know. The selectors may decide to have two captains while considering longevity as a major factor.” The BCCI will have time on its side as the Indian team will not play in the longer format for the next two months. A two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in March will be the next time Team India take guard in the longer version of the game. The list of potential candidates for the role include Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami. Bumrah was the stand-in vice-captain for the second Test match against South Africa in Johannesburg.

Selectors and board officials to speak to KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma about Test captaincy

India’s star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been drawing flak from former cricketers over his shot selection after his manner of dismissal in the Johannesburg Test. Amidst heavy criticism and a slump in form, India Test skipper Virat Kohli revealed that he conversation with Pant ahead of the final Cape Town Test. Kohli also recalled former Indian skipper MS Dhoni’s advice which stuck with him over the years.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Had a conversation with Rishabh in the practice. He has to take responsibility. We all have made mistakes in our careers. One has to realise his own mistake and improve so that it doesn’t repeat,” Kohli told the reporters in the pre-match press conference on Monday (January 10).&nbsp;&nbsp;Pant got out for a three-ball duck in the second innings of Johannesburg Test trying to take on Kagiso Rabada by charging down the wicket. He was also riled up by some chatter with short leg fielder Rassie van der Dussen.&nbsp;&nbsp;While talking about Pant’s shot selection, Kohli talked about Dhoni’s golden advice about not repeating mistakes as he said, “MS Dhoni once told me that there should be a gap of at least 7-9 months between repeating a mistake then only you can have a long career. This advice really stuck with me.”&nbsp;In his last 13 innings, Pant has scored 250 runs at an unimpressive average of 19.23. During this period, he has just one half-century to his name. The southpaw did not play in the two-Test home series against New Zealand as he was rested after the T20 World Cup 2021. His inconsistency has contributed to the already inconsistent Indian middle-order in the red-ball format.&nbsp;On the other hand, Kohli has not been in best of forms either with two century-less years across formats. Also, his shot selection was under scrutiny as well. Before getting ruled out of Johannesburg due to spasm in upper back, Kohli registered scores of 37 and 18 in the first Test. On both occasions, Kohli got out chasing deliveries outside off stump. Some former cricketers have also advised the 33-year-old to take a leaf out of Sachin Tendulkar’s book as the latter scored 241 against Australia without playing a single cover drive.&nbsp;

He has to take responsibility: Kohli gives Pant same advice Dhoni gave him

Team India over the last four years have been one of the most consistent teams in the Test format. With two consecutive series wins in Australia, a 2-1 lead in England and finishing as runner-ups of inaugural World Test Championship (WTC), Virat Kohli spoke exclusively on the team’s journey since 2014.&nbsp;Historically known for producing exceptional batters and highly skilled spinners, producing a quality pace attack was always a concern for India. In the last 36 months Indian pacers have wreaked havoc in every country they have played in and it has been one of the main reasons for team India’s success in the red-ball format.&nbsp;“When I took over, we were No 7 Test team and now we are No 1 for the last four-five years. I laid down a vision and a path to follow. We had to play with high intensity every day, every match to stay at that level. We have such a good pace attack that we are confused before every match on who to play. We take a lot of pride in that. Our Test performance is down to our pacers,” said Virat Kohli during the pre-match press conference on January 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 33-year-old hasn’t scored an international ton since November 2019 and the burning question is when the wait will end. The spotlight will be on Kohli when he takes the field at Newlands, Cape Town as his form in the last couple of years hasn’t been magnificent.&nbsp;“It is important to manage workload” said Kohli.&nbsp;Team India have been on the road for a while now and captain Kohli mentioned the importance of workload management during the press conference. Since the England tour, India have played the Indian Premier League (IPL), T20 World Cup 2021, a home series against New Zealand and are currently touring South Africa.&nbsp;“We have been playing a lot of cricket. It is important to manage workload and that is you see a few niggles in players every now and then.” Kohli said.&nbsp;Injuries are a concern for team India. Men in blue struggled with fitness and injury concerns throughout the Australia series. With Mohammad Siraj out for the final Test, the question of workload management arises again.&nbsp;After missing the second Test at the Wanderers due to an upper back spasm, Indian skipper is set to return in the final Test of the series. With the series being poised at 1-1, the Cape Town Test, which gets underway on January 11, is staged for a decider. Kohli regaining fitness is certainly a massive boost for the team as Proteas bowlers have been mighty impressive in this series.

I laid down a vision and a path to follow: Kohli recalls when India were no.7 Test team

Former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha has taken a dig at out-of-form Rishabh Pant for his irresponsible role in the second Test match in Johannesburg Test. The wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed for a three-ball duck when he charged down the ground and nicked Kagiso Rabada's delivery. The irresponsible shot was met with harsh criticism by current and former Indian players. Ojha is the latest cricketer to join the list of critics and raised question marks on Pant's role. “Pant with his shot selection has forced himself from being a postpaid connect to a prepaid,” the former left-arm spinner tweeted. &nbsp;Pant, 24, is expected to retain his place in the team despite a slump in form. He has enough credit in the bank to retain his place in the team for the third Test. The Indian team is also expected to have the services of captain Virat Kohli back for the decider, as he will be available after missing the second Test match in Johannesburg due to upper back spasm. Mohammed Siraj is expected to be out as well, with Ishant Sharma coming in his place. Ojha further wrote in his tweet, "If Siraj is not available for tomorrow's game, Ishant should play. It will be very surprising if he doesn’t. Unfortunately, Vihari will make way for Virat.” The Indian team suffered a huge blow in the second Test as Mohammed Siraj injured his hamstring and was unable to bowl at full fitness. The 27-year-old went wicketless as the Indian team couldn’t prevent the Proteas from chasing 240 in the final innings. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah were also ineffective in front of the hosts' batting lineup as captain Dean Elgar carried South Africa home to level the series. The three-match Test series is currently on level terms at 1-1. South Africa won the Johannesburg Test before India had taken the lead by winning the Centurion affair. The Newlands in Cape Town is the destination for the third Test, where India have never won a Test match. Also, India have never won a Test series on South African soil as Kohli and company will be eyeing the historic feat.

Pragyan Ojha slams Rishabh Pant, says shot selection forced him to switch from postpaid to prepaid

Get the latest India tour of South Africa live score, India tour of South Africa schedule and India tour of South Africa latest news only on thesportstak

Get the Latest News on India tour of South Africa - thesportstak

IND vs NZ 2nd T20I

India vs New Zealand 1st T20I

Dynamic Banner

Duleep Trophy, 2026

Pakistan tour of England, 2026

Women's Asia Cup T20, 2026

India tour of Afghanistan, 2026

Asian Games Men’s T20I, 2026

Asian Games Women's Cricket Competition, 2026

South Africa and Zimbabwe tour of Namibia, 2026

ACC Men's Premier Cup, 2026

Australia tour of Zimbabwe, 2026

Ireland tour of Namibia, 2026

Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh tour of UAE, 2026

India tour of Japan, 2026

Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan, 2026

England and Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan, 2026

South Africa tour of Namibia, 2026

Ranji Trophy, 2026/27

India tour of New Zealand, 2026

Zimbabwe Women tour of India, 2026

West Indies tour of India, 2026

Australia tour of South Africa, 2026

Sri Lanka tour of England, 2026

Featured League

IND vs NZ 1st T20I

Insights

Editor's Choice

Troika of Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma and Vaishnavi Sharma handed India a series-clinching 121-run win over Zimbabwe in the second ODI

India women crushed Zimbabwe women by 121 runs in 2nd ODI to seal series 2-0

Harmanpreet & Deepti's centuries coupled with Vaishnavi's four-fer played part in India's emphatic win

India's Harmanpreet Kaur (L) and Deepti Sharma in this frame. (X)

IND W vs ZIM W: Harmanpreet-Deepti's centuries bulldoze Zimbabwe as India clinch

IPL 2026

MS Dhoni broke down the key factors behind Chennai Super Kings' recent struggles while highlighting what titleholders Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been doing right in the IPL

MS Dhoni addressed Chennai Super Kings' struggles in the IPL for the last few years

Dhoni then went on to reveal what right RCB are doing which has seen them title-winning run

CSK's MS Dhoni (R) and RCB's Virat Kohli in this frame. (Getty)

MS Dhoni reveals what CSK must learn from RCB for IPL 2027

Former India captain Rohit Sharma quashed all the rumours around his ODI retirement while hosting his television show, 'Family Full House with Rohit Sharma'

Rohit Sharma ended the suspense around his ODI retirement

Rohit's recent remark suggests that he is not going to retire anytime soon

Former India captain Rohit Sharma in this frame. (Getty)

Rohit Sharma shuts ODI retirement rumours once and for all with strong reply

India tour of New Zealand 2026

Breaking Sachin Tendulkar's legendary record of 100 international hundreds before the 2027 ODI World Cup represents a massive challenge for Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has so far amassed 86 international centuries in 305 ODI innings

He needs 

India's batting juggernaut Virat Kohli in this frame. (Getty)

How many ODIs does Virat Kohli have to break Sachin Tendulkar's 100 tons record?

SA vs AUS: Usman Khawaja wonders why there is not much talk around Matthew Kuhnemann being in contention to play 3rd Test of the series. 

Matthew Kuhnemann hasn't played a Test in well over a year and a half.

Usman Khawaja has come in defense of Nic Maddinson as well. 

Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Inglis 