Cricket

As India embarks on a transitional phase in T20 cricket, a group of promising second-line stars are eager to seize their opportunity in the upcoming four-match series against South Africa. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma, and Varun Chakravarthy are among those hoping to establish themselves as first-choice players in the format.Samson, who has impressed as an opener in recent matches, will be keen to solidify his claim for a regular spot at the top of the order. Abhishek Sharma, known for his explosive batting, will aim to showcase his consistency and versatility with both bat and ball. Varma, after a promising start to his T20I career, will be eager to regain his form and prove his worth.Jitesh Sharma, who has slipped down the pecking order, will be determined to make an impact with his wicketkeeping and batting skills. Chakravarthy, who impressed against Bangladesh, will look to maintain his momentum and establish himself as a reliable spinner.The series also provides an opportunity for a new-look pace bowling unit, comprising Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Vyshak Vijaykumar, and Yash Dayal, to prove their mettle. While Arshdeep and Avesh have had their moments at the international level, Vijaykumar and Dayal will be eager to translate their domestic and IPL success into the international arena.Ramandeep Singh, who was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders after a productive IPL season, will be keen to replicate his all-round abilities. The senior players in the side, including skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel, will be hoping for a strong outing to help India bounce back from their recent home series defeat against New Zealand.South Africa, on the other hand, will be seeking revenge after losing to India in the T20 World Cup final in June. The Proteas will be led by Aiden Markram and will feature a mix of experienced and emerging players.

Legendary spinner Anil Kumble has raised concerns about Sanju Samson's consistency ahead of India's upcoming T20I series against South Africa. Samson, a wicketkeeper-batter, has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, but his ability to deliver consistently has been a question mark.Samson made his T20I debut in 2015 and has since played 33 matches, scoring 594 runs at a strike rate of 144.52. He has one century and two half-centuries to his name. However, his performances have been sporadic, with some impressive innings followed by periods of poor form.In the recent third T20I against Bangladesh, Samson showcased his batting prowess with a stunning 111 runs off just 47 deliveries. This performance has given him a boost of confidence, according to Kumble."There's been a lot of talk about keeping Sanju Samson in the team long-term, and that century he scored will certainly have given him a lot of confidence. We know the ability of Sanju Samson; he is a class act," Kumble said.However, Kumble believes that Samson needs to improve his consistency to become a regular member of the Indian team. He suggests that Samson should be given opportunities to bat in the top order, where he can make the most of his strong backfoot play and ability to handle fast bowlers and spinners."Consistency is a bit lacking, and I'm sure the Indian selectors are mindful of that. Placing him at the top of the innings, either at number one, two, or three, is where I believe he can truly add value to this team," Kumble added.India and South Africa will play a four-match T20I series starting on November 8 in Durban. The series will provide Samson with an opportunity to prove his worth and cement his place in the Indian team.

South Africa and India are set to clash in a four-match T20I series starting on Friday in Durban, marking their first encounter since India's triumph in the T20 World Cup final four months ago.Both teams have undergone significant changes since that memorable match in Barbados. South Africa will be without key players like Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Quinton de Kock. India, too, has made alterations, with only four players from their World Cup-winning squad featuring in this series.South African coach Rob Walter acknowledges the challenges of balancing overlapping cricket schedules. He emphasizes the need to manage players carefully to ensure they perform at their best when representing their country.Despite the absences, South Africa has assembled a strong squad that includes franchise stars David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj. India, on the other hand, will field a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters, including Ramandeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Yash Dayal.The series holds financial significance for Cricket South Africa, with substantial revenue expected from Indian television broadcasts. It also provides an opportunity for India's emerging talents to showcase their skills ahead of the upcoming IPL auction.The schedule for the series is as follows:* November 8: Durban* November 10: Gqeberha* November 13: Centurion* November 15: Johannesburg

India and South Africa, two cricketing powerhouses, are set to reignite their rivalry in a four-match T20I series in South Africa from November 8. The two teams last faced off in a thrilling T20 World Cup final in June, where India emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 7 runs.The T20I rivalry between India and South Africa has been a captivating spectacle, marked by competitive and high-stakes matches. Over the years, both teams have consistently delivered close, hard-fought contests, whether on South African soil or in India.India has a slight edge in the bilateral T20I series against South Africa, having won 6 out of 9 matches played in South Africa. However, the Proteas have shown their resilience on home soil, particularly in the T20 World Cup final.India's victory over South Africa in the 2007 T20 World Cup was a pivotal moment in the history of the format. India went on to win the inaugural championship, and the victory over South Africa was a key step in their triumph.David Miller, South Africa's prolific batsman, leads the run-scoring charts in India-South Africa bilateral T20Is with 452 runs in 21 matches. He is followed by Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have both retired from the shortest format of the game.Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India's medium-fast bowler, leads the charts when it comes to most wickets in India-South Africa bilateral T20Is. He has taken 14 wickets from 12 matches against South Africa in T20Is.Suryakumar Yadav, who is set to lead India in the upcoming series, has played two T20Is in South Africa, scoring 56 and 100 in December 2023. His century in the third T20I of the series powered India to a 106-run victory and helped them draw the series 1-1.The India-South Africa T20I rivalry has showcased the adaptability of both teams, with South Africa performing well on Indian pitches, which are generally slower, and India showing resilience on South African fast, bouncy tracks.The upcoming series promises to be another thrilling chapter in the India-South Africa T20I rivalry. With both teams boasting talented players and a history of close matches, fans can expect a captivating spectacle of cricket.

South Africa's relentless bowling attack, led by Keshav Maharaj's five-wicket haul, propelled them to a historic Test victory over Bangladesh in Chattogram. The Proteas secured an innings and 273-run triumph, their largest ever in Test cricket, completing a 2-0 series sweep.Bangladesh's batting woes continued as they were dismissed for a paltry 143 in their second innings, failing to overcome a massive 416-run deficit. Maharaj's left-arm spin proved lethal, claiming 5-59, while Kagiso Rabada's pace had earlier decimated the hosts with 5-37 in the first innings.The Proteas' dominance was evident from the outset, with Rabada striking twice in quick succession to reduce Bangladesh to 48-8. Mominul Haque's valiant 82 provided a brief respite, but Maharaj's dismissal of the opener for a duck in the second innings extinguished any hopes of a comeback.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's experienced campaigners, failed to deliver, falling cheaply to Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy, respectively. Najmul Hossain Shanto's dismissal by Muthusamy left the hosts reeling at 78-7.Hasan Mahmud's late resistance, including four sixes, delayed the inevitable, but Maharaj sealed the match by dismissing Nahid Rana for a duck. Muthusamy also impressed with 4-45 in the second innings, completing a comprehensive bowling performance for South Africa."We had some special performances that got us into strong positions," said stand-in captain Aiden Markram. "It's a proud moment for us, and one we'll reflect on as a special team."Bangladesh skipper Najmul acknowledged their batting struggles, stating, "If the top order doesn't contribute well, this is the kind of result we'll get."South Africa's victory was built on the foundation of three maiden Test centuries in their first innings: Tony De Zorzi (177), Tristan Stubbs (106), and Wiaan Mulder (105 not out). The Proteas' dominance extended to the bowling department, with Rabada and Maharaj leading the charge.Bangladesh's inability to match South Africa's batting and bowling prowess resulted in their 16th consecutive Test defeat against the Proteas. The series sweep highlights the gulf in quality between the two sides and serves as a wake-up call for Bangladesh to address their batting deficiencies.

South Africa's T20I squad for the upcoming series against India has been announced, with the return of Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee after a conditioning break. The pair have been working on shoulder and hip niggles, respectively, and will be eager to make an impact in the upcoming matches.Lungi Ngidi, who is currently part of the Test squad in Bangladesh, will also have an extended period of time off to work on his conditioning. He is not part of the T20I squad for the India series, while Kagiso Rabada has been rested with the Tests in mind.Despite the absence of Ngidi and Rabada, South Africa still have several big names in the squad. Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, and Keshav Maharaj, who were not part of South Africa's white-ball squads in the UAE, have all been included.The squad will be captained by regular leader Aiden Markram and with Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton at the top of the order. There are two new caps, allrounders Mihlali Mpongwana and Andile Simelane, who were the joint second-leading wicket-takers in the recently completed T20 Challenge.Donovan Ferreira, who was the third-highest run-scorer in the T20 Challenge, and Patrick Kruger have also been included. Notably, there is no room for Tabraiz Shamsi after he opted out of a national contract last month.Their seam-bowling contingent will be bolstered with the addition of Lutho Sipamla for the third and fourth matches on the Highveld. Sipamla last played for South Africa in 2022 in a Test match and has not played white-ball international since 2021, but his career-best 4 for 12 at the Wanderers in the T20 Challenge final forced him into the squad.South Africa will be hoping to put in a strong performance against India, who are one of the top-ranked T20I teams in the world. The series will be a good test for the Proteas as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.

Mominul Haque's gritty half-century and a crucial ninth-wicket partnership with Taijul Islam rescued Bangladesh from a precarious position on the third morning of the second Test against South Africa.After South Africa's pace attack, led by Kagiso Rabada, tore through Bangladesh's top order, leaving them reeling at 48 for 8, Haque and Islam combined for an 89-run stand that frustrated the Proteas.Rabada, who recently regained the top spot in the Test bowling rankings, continued his impressive form, claiming his second five-wicket haul of the series. His average of 7.78 in the series is the best among South Africans who have taken at least ten wickets.Bangladesh's collapse began with the dismissal of Mushfiqur Rahim, who gifted a catch to Tony de Zorzi at square leg for a second-ball duck. The wickets continued to fall in quick succession, with four batters dismissed within 12 balls.However, Haque and Islam showed resilience and determination, digging in to rebuild Bangladesh's innings. Haque reached his 20th Test fifty, while Islam provided valuable support with a patient 33.Their partnership frustrated South Africa's bowlers and gave Bangladesh a glimmer of hope. The Proteas eventually broke through when Rabada dismissed Islam, but Haque remained unbeaten on 51 at the end of the day's play.Bangladesh still trail South Africa by 144 runs, but Haque's innings and the ninth-wicket stand have given them a fighting chance of saving the Test.

Bangladesh's batting woes continued on day two of the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, as they stumbled to 38-4 in response to the visitors' mammoth first innings of 575-6.The hosts' reply got off to a disastrous start, with Kagiso Rabada dismissing Shadman Islam for a duck in the first over. Zakir Hasan soon followed, edging a Rabada delivery to the wicketkeeper for two.Mahmudul Hasan Joy briefly threatened with a 10-ball 10, but he fell to Dane Paterson, driving an outside-off delivery to Aiden Markram at second slip. Hasan Mahmud, sent in as a nightwatchman, was deceived by Keshav Maharaj's sharp turn and was bowled for a duck.South Africa's total was their second-highest against Bangladesh, behind only their 583-7 at the same venue in 2008. Wiaan Mulder (105 not out), Tony de Zorzi (177), and Tristan Stubbs (106) all scored maiden Test centuries for the Proteas.Senuran Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 68 at the declaration, while Ryan Rickelton was the only batsman to fall in the second session, edging a Nahid Rana delivery to the wicketkeeper for 12.Earlier, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam had pegged back South Africa in the morning with three wickets in three overs, claiming his second five-wicket haul of the series. He dismissed David Bedingham, De Zorzi, and Kyle Verreynne to leave the visitors on 391-4.South Africa won the opening Test inside four days, with Rabada taking 6-46 in the second innings. Bangladesh have played 24 Tests in Chattogram but have won only two, with seven drawn.

South Africa's batting prowess was on full display in the second Test against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The Proteas shattered their previous record for most sixes in an innings of a Test match, smashing a total of 17 sixes in their first innings.The previous record of 15 sixes was set against the West Indies in 2010. South Africa's dominant performance saw them amass a massive 577/6 declared in 144.2 overs.Aiden Markram, leading from the front, contributed 33 off 55 balls, including two boundaries. Tony de Zorzi followed with a well-constructed 177, smashing 12 fours and four sixes before falling to Taijul Islam.The fireworks truly began with Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham. Stubbs added 106 off 198 balls, while Bedingham's aggressive 59 featured several big hits.Wiaan Mulder's unbeaten 105 off 150 balls, with four sixes to his name, further demonstrated South Africa's intent. Senuran Muthusamy also played a supporting role, contributing 70 not out, peppered with a couple of maximums.For Bangladesh, Taijul Islam was the pick of the hosts, taking 5/198, but even his efforts couldn't contain the Proteas' assault.With South Africa winning the toss and opting to bat, they now hold a commanding position in the five-day contest.