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West Indies need a win to save the series, while a strong victory would partially absolve the hosts of the disappointment of two defeats at the hands of India and Pakistan

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Oct-2015

Match facts

October 22-26, 2015
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)1:09

Holder upbeat about West Indies’ chances

Big Picture

The only predictable thing about Sri Lanka’s weather is that the meteorological department’s forecasts will be wrong. They expect daily afternoon thunderstorms in Colombo all through the Test. Going by their track record from Galle, this is an excellent sign the cricket will not be interrupted over the next few days, even if plenty of rain has fallen on the city recently.Both teams will be pleased a result looks likely. West Indies need a victory to save the series, and to inspire a new captain and his young team ahead of a difficult tour of Australia. Meanwhile, a strong series win would partially absolve the hosts of the disappointment of two mid-year humblings at the hands of India and Pakistan.Sri Lanka arrive full of confidence following the innings victory in the first Test, of course, but their batting may still be vulnerable. Milinda Siriwardene and Kusal Perera are playing their second and third Tests respectively, opener Kaushal Silva has gone some time without a big score, and the no. 3 position has been so problematic Sri Lanka are likely to give 20-year-old Kusal Mendis an opportunity there. West Indies conceded 484 in Galle, but that had been more a reflection of poor catching, than toothless bowling. The extra pace and carry often available on the P Sara pitch will raise the visiting attack’s chance of scripting an upset (much like Tim Southee and Trent Boult had done at the venue in 2012), so long as chances are held.The hosts will be happy with the state of their own fielding, however. Dinesh Chandimal claimed a stunner at short midwicket in the first innings at Galle, but Sri Lanka were sharp in the field generally, where they had been almost abysmal for much of the past year. The board is still hunting for a head coach, but several players have already spoken positively of interim coach Jerome Jayaratne’s work so far.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka: WLLWLWWest Indies: LLLWL

In the spotlight

Dinesh Chandimal was virtually unselectable for large portions of 2014, but he has suddenly begun to bat with freedom and watched the runs flow. He averages 51.69 in 2015, and provides the positivity and dynamism Sri Lanka have often had from their long-term no. 4 batsmen. Having often enjoyed batting on quicker, bouncier tracks, he is better-suited than most in the side to make runs at the P Sara.Devendra Bishoo was not quite at his best in Galle, yet he created the most chances from the West Indies attack, and finished with the most wickets as well. Though the P Sara suits the quicks, it has also been kind to visiting spinners this year – Yasir Shah, R Ashwin and Amit Mishra prospered at the venue. If West Indies’ batsmen can keep their side in the match for the first three days, Bishoo may have a key role to play in the second innings.

Teams news

Kusal Mendis appears almost a certainty to debut in place of Lahiru Thirimanne, who has suffered a poor stretch of Test form in the past three months. Rangana Herath will likely take up Thirimanne’s vice captaincy. Offspinner Tharindu Kaushal is also likely to be replaced by Dilruwan Perera, following Kaushal’s modest outing in the first Test.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal , 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Kusal Perera (wk), 8 Dhammika Prasad, 9 Dilruwan Perera, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Nuwan PradeepShai Hope’s twin failures in Galle may allow Rajendra Chandrika to reclaim a position at the top of the order. The rest of West Indies’ XI is likely to remain unchanged.West Indies (probable): 1 Kragg Braithwaite, 2 Rajendra Chandrika/Shai Hope, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Jemaine Blackwood, 6 Denesh Ramdin, 7 Jason Holder (capt.), 8 Devendra Bishoo, 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Pitch and conditions

Rain clouds have generally gathered over Colombo in the afternoons this past week, and usually drop their payload after dusk. The pitch is understood to be a little dry beneath the top layer, which will bring the spinners into the match.

Stats and trivia

• Angelo Mathews needs 151 runs to reach 4000 for his career. If he does it in the first innings, he will be the equal second-fastest Sri Lankan to that milestone (in terms of innings played) alongside Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera. Mathews has, however, batted largely at no. 6.
• Jermaine Blackwood has 548 runs at an average of 45.66 this year.
• Each of the 10 most recent Tests at the P Sara Oval have had a result. Each of the nine most recent Tests in Sri Lanka have also ended in a result

Quotes

“This wicket has more bounce and pace than Galle and our fast bowlers have been bowling really well even though they haven’t got too many wickets. Dhammika Prasad has been brilliant over the past few games been taking three to four wickets all the time. Nuwan Pradeep’s bowling has been equally good.””I can tell you for sure the guys are upbeat for the second Test match. The guys know the situation of the series. The batsmen need to give us a chance to get 20 wickets. In the last game we only got one opportunity with the ball and we only got 10 wickets. Hopefully we can put some runs on the board in the second Test.”

Graeme Smith, South Africa’s injured Test captain, is aiming for a return to action in the team’s next Test series, against Pakistan in October

Firdose Moonda14-Jul-2013Graeme Smith, South Africa’s injured Test captain, is aiming for a return to action in the team’s next Test series, against Pakistan in October. Smith suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury that has plagued him throughout his career in May and was ruled out of cricket for at least five months.At the time, Smith was playing for Surrey and had to return home for surgery. He missed the Champions Trophy and will sit out of the upcoming limited-overs tour to Sri Lanka in order to make a full recovery. As matters stand, that looks set to be earlier than initial estimates with the trip to the UAE a definite possibility for Smith to make his return.Smith has made “steady progress” according to South Africa’s team manager and doctor Mohammed Moosajee and the management team are “aiming to have him for the Pakistan series”. His cast came off two-and-half-weeks ago and he has been walking on crutches since the last week of June. He is expected to use them until the first week in August, when he should be able to walk on his own.Smith’s wife, Morgan, is due to give birth to the couple’s second child this week. She wrote on a blog for magazine that Smith has “just started rehab on his ankle so he is going to be mobile again pretty soon, which will be perfect timing for when the new baby arrives”.Although Smith is not captain in the shorter formats, his absence has been noticeable. South Africa have struggled to find a suitable partner for Hashim Amla in the 50-overs format and will head to Sri Lanka with that as one of their major concerns.Their options are between Smith’s Test opening partner Alviro Petersen, who was drafted into the Champions Trophy squad but did not play a game, and young wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock. Colin Ingram, who filled the role during the Champions Trophy, is not expected to continue in it.While South Africa would value Smith’s presence in the one-day team, it is far more important to them to have him for Test matches. Not only has he been the leader of the Test side for a decade but he led them to No. 1 in the world last year and has spoken about his ambitions to keep them there.South Africa have not played a Test since defeating Pakistan 3-0 in a series at home in March and will make a return to the format after eight months in October. They play two Tests in the UAE, which will be new coach Russell Domingo’s first longer-format assignment and Smith’s presence would be a huge boost.Moosajee confirmed the support staff are working toward that. “He has three months to go and we will have to take a call closer to the time but we are hopeful he will be able to play in that series,” he said. “He is doing well so far and we will continue to monitor him.”

Australia cannot expect Shane Warne’s advice to magically solve Nathan Hauritz’s recent bowling problems, according to the coach Tim Nielsen

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2010Australia cannot expect Shane Warne’s advice to magically solve Nathan Hauritz’s recent bowling problems, according to the coach Tim Nielsen. Hauritz is likely to remain Australia’s No. 1 spinner for the Ashes but after taking six wickets at 65 in the recent Tests against India, he has some work to do.That could include sessions with Warne, who has offered his services to Hauritz ahead of Australia’s first home Ashes series since Warne’s retirement. Nielsen said while such tutoring could be useful, it was more important that Hauritz take on the responsibility of working out what he should change in order to trouble England’s batsmen.”He’s had some discussions with Warney in the past,” Nielsen told the Sydney Morning Herald. “If Warney is available and Haury would like to speak to him I can’t see any reason they wouldn’t have a chat. In the end, that’s a great little resource to utilise, but it’s more important that Haury identifies the things he needs to improve and we identify as a team the things we need to improve, and go about fixing them.”We can’t expect someone to come in and fix the ills of the game for us. It’s about us saying ‘yes, I need to get better at this’, and working our backsides off at training and preparation to make sure we’ve nailed those skills. It’d be great to have people like Warne offering advice but in the end it comes back to us.”The main competition for Hauritz in the immediate future is set to come from the legspinning allrounder Steven Smith, who made a promising start to his Test career against Pakistan this year. The former spinners Ashley Mallett and Ray Bright would like to see Smith in the Test side, although alongside Hauritz rather than in his place.Smith’s batting makes him an attractive all-round option and although Ricky Ponting is not keen on the idea yet, one possible role could be for Smith to bat at No. 6 and become the second spinner. But Smith, who was in the Test squad in India and remains there for the ODI series, believes his Test hopes for the time being will rest on his bowling.”I’d like to become a genuine allrounder down the track so scoring runs whenever I can is going to be good for me to get my best foot forward,” Smith told reporters in India. “Something I want to do is bat in the top six at some point. But at the moment it’s probably going to be my spin that’ll give me a game.”

Cricinfo previews the deciding ODI between England and Bangladesh at Edgbaston

The Preview by Sahil Dutta11-Jul-2010

Match facts

July 12, 2010, Edgbaston
Start time 10.45am (9.45GMT)Can Bangladesh do it again?•Getty Images

Big picture

Bangladesh lit up their English summer and breathed life into the series with their shock triumph in the second game at Bristol. Having gone 15 ODI matches and 247 days without victory they turned their fortunes around with a display of remarkable hunger and spirit.England were outplayed but Andrew Strauss would accept his team were a touch casual. Fielding lapses, ill-disciplined bowling and some loose shots betrayed a side not operating at full intensity. Defeat to set up a series decider at Edgbaston should stir them.While it was Bangladesh who were parachuting in replacements for Saturday’s game, it’s England now who have the concerns. Ravi Bopara has had to come into the squad after Ian Bell fractured his left foot and there must be some worry over the form of James Anderson.Since being left out of England’s triumphant World Twenty20 side Anderson has cut a forlorn figure and his returns this summer – seven wickets in five matches against Australia and three expensive scalps in this series – have been poor. Tamim Iqbal’s flashing blade is enough to unsettle even the steeliest of bowlers but, in the crunch game, Anderson must prove he can rise to the mantle expected of England’s most experienced bowler.Really though, there is only one story. Bangladesh are chasing a dream series win that just two games ago looked completely unthinkable. They won’t start favourites, they rarely do, but they could finish on top of the world.

Form guide (last five completed matches)

England LWLLW

Bangladesh WLLLL

Watch out for…

Andrew Strauss has been in sublime touch this series and has, by some distance, looked England’s best batsman. Curiously for a man with 18 Test hundreds, Strauss’s conversion rate in one-day cricket is poor. England have talked for a long time about making more centuries and given his form at the top of the order, the captain could set the example at Edgbaston by scoring his fourth. Rubel Hossain turned the game at Bristol on its head when his pacey slingers removed England’s openers. Missing from the first match he gave the Bangladesh attack some much-needed fire to accompany the wily spin duo of Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan. He will need to provide the same incision if Bangladesh are going to have a chance.

Team news

For the England selectors there is the familiar problem of balance. Six batsmen would mean Ravi Bopara gets his first chance since September 2009 but force James Tredwell out again and leave the attack looking a touch one-paced.Five batsmen may nudge Ajmal Shahzad, who impressed with three wickets at Bristol, aside because of Tim Bresnan’s more robust lower-order batting. But new-ball wickets have been a problem for England for a while so they’ll be reluctant to let Shahzad go.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Michael Yardy, 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 James Tredwell, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Having secured a historic victory Bangladesh won’t be in a rush to meddle with the side. Expect an unchanged line up at Edgbaston.Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Jahurul Islam (wk), 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Rubel Hossain, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Shafiul Islam

Pitch and conditions

Fortress Edgbaston has been a happy hunting ground for England over the last few years. Most recently though, the Barmy Army was replaced by an equally vociferous Pakistani crowd for the two Twenty20 games Pakistan played against Australia. It made for a thrilling atmosphere and both teams will hope for similar capacity-crowds for the series decider. Edgbaston has been a high-scoring ground in limited-overs cricket this season and will suit the free-flowing batsmen in both teams.

Stats and Trivia

• Bangladesh have only one memory of Edgbaston, and it’s not a happy one. In 2004 they were bowled out for 93 in their Champions Trophy game against South Africa. Only one member of their side from that day survives – Mohammad Ashraful.
• Apart from a depleted West Indies team ravaged by contract disputes, Bangladesh have never beaten a major Test-playing nation in a one-day series.

Quotes

“I’ve said before there were a few chinks in the armour of this England team and I guess them leaving a few players out of their side weakened them a bit.”
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“Ruthlessness is a skill in itself and it’s something we need to keep improving on.”
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The controversy surrounding Shoaib Malik appears to have moved a step closer to resolution with the announcement that he had filed for divorce from Ayesha Siddiqui

Cricinfo staff07-Apr-2010The controversy surrounding Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain, appears to have moved a step closer to resolution on Wednesday with the announcement that he had filed for divorce from Ayesha Siddiqui, whom he had married seven years ago, and her family saying they would withdraw a police complaint filed against him.This paves the way for Malik to go ahead with his marriage to Sania Mirza, the Indian tennis player, in Hyderabad next week.The announcement – which followed five days of negotiations – was made at a press conference at Ayesha’s house and attended by representatives of the Mirza and Siddiqui families, though the three principals were absent. Shafi, Sania’s uncle, said the complaint against Malik would be withdrawn – an application has already been filed with the police – and in turn he would pay Ayesha maintenance under Islamic law.”I am very happy about it”, Ayesha’s mother said. “All community leaders have come to him (Shoaib) to do the settlement and he has done it. Finally justice has been done to my daughter.”On Monday, Hyderabad police said they had registered a complaint of cheating, harassment and intimidation filed by Ayesha against Malik.Malik admitted, at a public appearance the same day, that he had married Ayesha but claimed it was done on the phone, he had never met his wife and that the photographs sent to him did not match the person who later claimed to be his wife.

Tom Bruce and Robbie O’Donnell have been named co-captains for the tour that consists of three first-class games and as many one-day matches

Shashank Kishore19-Aug-2022New Zealand A’s upcoming tour of India features as many as seven players with international experience. Among them are dual Internationals Logan van Beek and Michael Rippon, who have featured for both New Zealand and Netherlands.Tom Bruce, the hard-hitting New Zealand and Central Districts batter, and Robbie O’Donnell, the batter from Auckland, have been named co-captains for the month-long tour. Rob Walter, head coach of the Central Stags, will lead the coaching group and will be supported by Brendon Donkers, Canterbury’s assistant coach, and Paul Wiseman, the NZC High Performance coach.As reported by ESPNcricinfo, the tour consists of three first-class games and as many one-day matches. The red-ball games will all be played in Bengaluru between September 1-18. The white-ball fixtures will be held in Chennai between September 22-27. There is no pink-ball fixture penciled in for the moment. The New Zealand A squad will depart for India on August 26.”It’s great to have A fixtures back on the touring calendar and even more exciting to have the team playing in foreign conditions,” chief selector Gavin Larsen said. “This programme and tours like these are vital in developing our people and giving them opportunities to test themselves against quality opposition.”We have an exciting mix in this group, including players who dominated our last home season such as Robbie O’Donnell and Tom Bruce, alongside emerging talents in Matt Fisher and Joe Walker.”The squad also consists of young, capped players such as Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy and Dane Cleaver, all of whom enjoyed successful outings during New Zealand’s European tour this summer.Larsen hoped exposure to the subcontinent conditions would give players a taste of what to expect over the next year or so, especially with the 50-over World Cup to be played in India in November 2023.”With a mix of red ball and white ball matches it’s a great chance to see the players in a variety of situations against what we know will be a very strong home side,” Larsen said. “The conditions present a great opportunity for the spin bowling group in particular, ahead of future tours and ICC events in the subcontinent.”It’s exciting to welcome Logan back into the NZ A set-up. He’s a proven performer on the domestic scene and has impressed in his recent stints playing for the Netherlands. Touring India is one of the great experiences for any cricketer and I know the players and staff are looking forward to the challenge.”New Zealand A squad: Tom Bruce (capt), Robbie O’Donnell (capt), Chad Bowes, Joe Carter, Mark Chapman, Dane Cleaver (wk), Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Cameron Fletcher (wk), Ben Lister, Rachin Ravindra, Michael Rippon, Sean Solia, Logan van Beek, Joe Walker

Some more of the tourists will be administered the vaccine on February 20

Mohammad Isam18-Feb-2021Tamim Iqbal and Russell Domingo were among several Bangladesh cricketers and support staffers to be administered Covid-19 vaccines in Dhaka on Thursday, ahead of the team’s departure for New Zealand next week to take part in a limited-overs international series.Soumya Sarkar was the first to be vaccinated at the Kurmitola General Hospital, followed by Iqbal, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Naim and Taskin Ahmed, followed by the contingent of support staffers – special arrangements had been made for the overseas coaches, since they don’t have the Bangladeshi national ID that is mandatory to be eligible for the vaccine. BCB director Jalal Yunus, who will travel with the team, was also among those vaccinated.Some more of the cricketers who are travelling to New Zealand will be administered the vaccine on February 20, and the BCB will make arrangements for more vaccines to be administered, if needed, after the tour.Speaking afterwards, Iqbal admitted to being apprehensive about taking the vaccine to start with. “The thing about vaccinations is that if you know how helpful it is for you then I think your fear will go. I will not deny that I was afraid,” he said. “I was not sure whether to take it or not. But after talking to the BCB and finding out that it is normal to have symptoms, it made sense to take it.”The app was also launched at the same time in the presence of health minister Zahid Maleque and BCB president Nazmul Hassan, and Sarkar was the first to use it.Ahmed urged people from his country to get the vaccination done at the earliest. “I am feeling quite good after being inoculated,” he told . “There’s no physical problem yet. I would like to thank the honourable prime minister and BCB for making it so easily available for us. I urge everyone to be vaccinated. The app has also made it a simpler process.”More than one million Bangladeshis have taken the vaccine since the government rolled it out earlier this month.

“This year will be a different CPL, but the standard will be higher than ever,” says tournament CEO O’Donohoe

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2020CPL 2020 will begin with three-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders taking on five-time finalists Guyana Amazon Warriors on August 18. The entire tournament, comprising 33 matches, will take place in Trinidad & Tobago across two stadiums and behind closed doors to ensure proper protection against the Covid-19 pandemic.Damien O’Donohoe, the CPL’s chief executive officer, is excited about the upcoming season. “This year will be a different CPL, but the standard will be higher than ever. We have seen the appetite for live sport since it has returned after a prolonged absence, and the interest in CPL will be higher than ever with it being the first franchise T20 tournament to return.”The scheduleBrian Lara Cricket Academy
18 August, 10am – Trinbago Knight Riders v Guyana Amazon Warriors
18 August, 5:30pm – Barbados Tridents v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
19 August, 10am – Jamaica Tallawahs v St Lucia Zouks
19 August, 5:30pm – Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
20 August, 10am – St Lucia Zouks v Barbados Tridents
20 August, 5:30pm- Trinbago Knight Riders v Jamaica Tallawahs
22 August, 10am – St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v St Lucia Zouks
22 August 5.30pm – Guyana Amazon Warriors v Jamaica Tallawahs

23 August 10am – Trinbago Knight Riders v Barbados Tridents
23 August 5.30pm – Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Lucia Zouks
Queen’s Park Oval
25 August, 10am – St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Barbados Tridents
25 August, 5:30pm – Jamaica Tallawahs v Guyana Amazon Warriors
26 August 10am – St Lucia Zouks v Trinbago Knight Riders
26 August, 5:30pm – Barbados Tridents v Jamaica Tallawahs
27 August, 10am – St Lucia Zouks v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
27 August, 5:30pm – Guyana Amazon Warriors v Trinbago Knight Riders
29 August, 10am – Barbados Tridents v Trinbago Knight Riders
29 August, 5:30pm – St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Jamaica Tallawahs
30 August, 10am – Barbados Tridents v St Lucia Zouks
30 August, 5:30pm – St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Guyana Amazon Warriors
Brian Lara Cricket Academy
1 September, 10am – Jamaica Tallawahs v Trinbago Knight Riders
1 September, 5:30pm – Guyana Amazon Warriors v Barbados Tridents

2 September, 10am – Trinbago Knight Riders v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
2 September, 5:30pm – St Lucia Zouks v Guyana Amazon Warriors
3 September, 10am – Jamaica Tallawahs v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
3 September, 5:30pm – Barbados Tridents v Guyana Amazon Warriors
5 September, 10am – Trinbago Knight Riders v St Lucia Zouks
5 September, 5:30pm – Jamaica Tallawahs v Barbados Tridents
6 September, 10am – St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Trinbago Knight Riders
6 September, 5:30pm – St Lucia Zouks v Jamaica Tallawahs
8 September, TBC – Semi final 1 (1st v 4th)
8 September, TBC – Semi final 2 (2nd vs 3rd)
10 September, TBC – Final

England’s comprehensive series win in South Africa was made possible by a variety of big performances

Firdose Moonda28-Jan-2020After a rousing start to their campaign with a memorable win at Centurion, South Africa’s lack of batting depth and bowling penetration was ruthlessly exposed in a trio of defeats at Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and the Wanderers. One man, however, showed fight with ball and bat to hint at a more promising future. Here are their marks out of ten.9Anrich Nortje

South Africa’s find of the series ended as the highest wicket-taker overall, ahead of his own team’s spearhead Kagiso Rabada and England’s Stuart Broad. Nortje bowled at a consistently high pace in the upper 140s throughout the four Tests, used the short ball to good effect and showed an ability to deliver long, pressure-building spells which bodes well for the future of South Africa’s attack. He collected his first five-wicket haul at the Wanderers and also put in two lengthy vigils as nightwatchman, one of which gave him his highest Test score of 40 and formed part of a match-winning partnership at SuperSport Park.7.5 Quinton de Kock

A class above the rest of South Africa’s batsmen, de Kock finished as the leading run-scorer among both teams, 56 runs ahead of Dom Sibley, and scored a half-century in every Test. De Kock seemed to be operating on different surfaces to the rest, took the attack to the opposition bowlers and scored quickly. What he needs now is to develop the nous to switch gears and play the long game by batting time, which will help him convert his fifties into hundreds at a better rate. His work behind the stumps was tidy, apart from the occasions when he dived in front of first slip and catchable chances went a-begging. As South Africa’s new ODI captain and Test-captain-in-waiting, de Kock has shown he has the form to take on more responsibility.6.5 Rassie van der Dussen

Van der Dussen enjoyed a satisfying debut series where he demonstrated composure and maturity in a batting line-up sorely lacking in experience. He scored fifties in three of the four Tests, including sharing in a match-winning partnership in Centurion and falling two runs short of a maiden century at the Wanderers. Most impressively, he coped well with being moved from No.5, where he played the first three Tests, to No.3 in the finale, where he made a career-best 98. His versatility has given South Africa’s top order options for the future. Though he dropped three catches, he took eight and proved himself a competent slip fielder.6 Keshav Maharaj

Tasked with the often thankless job of holding up an end, Maharaj bowled more overs than anyone else despite being benched for the final match, and was mostly successful in his containing role. At Newlands, in particular, he allowed South Africa’s quicks to rotate while keeping runs down, but in all three matches, he struggled against Ben Stokes. After playing some rash shorts early in the series, Maharaj bedded in when it was too late in Port Elizabeth and scored a free-spirited second Test half-century to again show that he has something to offer with the bat.5.5 Kagiso Rabada

A fourth demerit point in a 24-month period meant that Rabada’s series was blighted by his ban from the finale at the Wanderers and highlighted his continued disciplinary issues, which have seen him miss a second Test in less than three years. Still, Rabada remains South Africa’s poster-boy and was their leading wicket-taker until his suspension. He showed glimpses of his best at SuperSport Park, where he took seven wickets in the match. His dismissal of Joe Root in Port Elizabeth, where his celebration breached the ICC Code of Conduct, revealed both how much he values big wickets and how big the burden on him has been in an attack that lacks the bite of old.Beuran Hendricks

South Africa’s search for variation, particularly now that Vernon Philander has retired, may have found an answer in left-armer Hendricks. On his home ground, the Wanderers, he was fairly impressive on debut, especially in the second innings where he took 5 for 64. Hendricks has enough domestic experience to have gained a good understanding of his game, and how to vary his lengths, and could be a handy bowler for South Africa to keep around.Quinton de Kock and Vernon Philander leave the field after the 3rd day of the 3rd Test•AFP / Getty Images

5Dwaine Pretorius


A dependable allrounder, who offers consistency with the ball and stoicism with the bat, Pretorius had a decent first series without offering anything exceptional. His economy rate of 3.15 speaks to the containing role that South Africa were looking to fill with a fourth seamer, and he played a part in some important lower-order partnerships. Whether Pretorius has all the skills to succeed Philander is doubtful, but South Africa deemed him important enough to stop him from signing a Kolpak deal on the eve of the series, so we can expect to see more of him in the future.Pieter Malan

A resolute start on his debut, where Malan scored 84 in the second innings at Newlands, gave way to a forgettable final two Tests. Malan was out twice to spinners in Port Elizabeth, got a good ball from Mark Wood first-up at the Wanderers and then played a nothing shot off Chris Woakes in the second innings. All-in-all, it would appear Malan has wasted the opportunity to have a long run in the Test team, especially with South Africa desperate to find a permanent partner for Dean Elgar. On the evidence of this series, Malan is not it.Dean Elgar

Elgar has escaped a certain degree of scrutiny because the other end of the opening partnership has been so problematic but it won’t be long before the spotlight turns to him. Although he scored 88 in Cape Town, the shot he played to be dismissed (a mow to mid-off against Dom Bess which Elgar described as a “brainfart”) was a microcosm for a serious flaw in his game. Elgar’s shot selections were not those of a senior player – from his playing across the line in Port Elizabeth to him flashing a short, wide ball straight to point and then pulling like a No.8 in Johannesburg – and underline what has become a problematic period in his career. South Africa needs players of Elgar’s ilk to do better and overall, he had a disappointing series.4.5 Vernon Philander

Philander bowed out with South Africa at an all-time low but at the right time for himself. Though his 4 for 16 at SuperSport Park made it seem as though he still had years left in him, a disappointing performance in Port Elizabeth, where he went wicketless and only bowled 16 overs, made it clear that his time was up. He finished 10th on the overall wicket-takers’ list in the series. In his final outing, Philander took two wickets in the first innings and then send down nine deliveries in the second before tearing his hamstring. He was also fined 15 percent of his match fee for giving Jos Buttler a send-off and a further 60 percent as part of South Africa’s slow-over-rate penalty. Philander again showed with the bat that he had what it took to contribute more to the line-up, and he may look back on that as potential unfulfilled.3.5 Dane Paterson

His new-ball performance in Port Elizabeth can best be described as flat, which did not give Paterson the best start to his Test career. An honest trier, Paterson does not appear quick enough to merit a place in the attack long-term, unless he can bring in some of his other much-talked about skills to the table. At domestic level, Paterson is known to move the ball off the seam and is vaunted for his accuracy, some of which we saw in the second ininngs at the Wanderers.Faf du Plessis

In what could prove to be his last series, du Plessis was under immense pressure and it showed. His poor form from the India series bled into this one and he top-scored with 36, making it a year and 11 innings since he last scored a half-century. Usually, du Plessis has been to hide poor form behind strong leadership but even that let him down. His captaincy in the first innings in Port Elizabeth and during the tenth-wicket partnership in the first innings at Wanderers left him looking strategically wanting and has only increased questions over his future. Du Plessis’ usually pleasant media mannerisms became visibly tetchy as the matches wore on, and he notched up a third successive series defeat.Zubayr Hamza

An eye-catching 39 at SuperSport Park suggested Hamza has the technique to develop into a strong No.3 for South Africa but perhaps not quite yet. He appeared tentative against teasing lengths in Cape Town and visibly afraid of the short ball in Port Elizabeth, where Mark Wood had his number. Hamza was left out of the Johannesburg Test and will need to find form domestically before he can be reconsidered.3 Temba Bavuma (33 runs at 16.50)

The most-talked about man in the series, especially when he was not there, Bavuma was unable to repeat the heroics of four years ago, when he scored his only Test hundred to date against England. But he dominated the conversation nonetheless. He was injured for the first match and dropped for the next two, but made a career-best 180 to force his way back in for the finale. He was out for 6 in the first innings but struck a positive 27 off 29 balls in the second before receiving a snorter from Stuart Broad. Curiously, Bavuma’s social media throughout the last four weeks has suggested he feels hard done by and has a point to prove. Now we have to wait for him to do that.2Aiden Markram (22 runs at 11)

After recovering from a broken hand (the result of punching something in the change-room during the India tour), Markram was strangled down the leg-side for 20 at Centurion, then struck on the pads for 2 before fracturing a finger and being ruled out for the rest of the series. The injury is not his fault but his lack of form is cause for concern. Markram has not scored fifty in seven innings and last scored a century almost two years ago. South Africa have big plans for him but they can’t be fulfilled if his trajectory continues like this.

India captain Virat Kohli has said he is likely to play the fourth and deciding Test against Australia in Dharamsala only if 100% fit

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Dharamsala24-Mar-20172:39

Will play only if I get through fitness tests – Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli has said he will play the fourth and deciding Test against Australia in Dharamsala only if 100% fit. Kohli, who suffered a shoulder injury during the third Test in Ranchi, said he would undergo another fitness test and take a call either on Friday night or on Saturday morning, the first day of the Test.On Thursday, India had called up Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer to the squad as cover for Kohli. Iyer arrived at the ground on Friday morning, during India’s warm-ups, and batted in the nets too. Kohli – as on Thursday – did not bat in the nets, restricting himself to facing a few throwdowns.”It’s very different from competition, that’s one thing,” Kohli said, when asked how his shoulder had felt while batting. “Something that I experienced in Ranchi, when you have reactive movements, the magnitude of your injury comes out.”Physio wants to give it a bit more time till I can test myself, and probably we will take a call later tonight or tomorrow before the game. We will have to give it that much time more to make a call with the physiotherapist.”Kohli said the injury hampered his normal range of movement, and that he ran the risk of aggravating it while fielding, though not while batting.”I wouldn’t say it is a normal feeling [in the shoulder],” he said. “It is obviously different from how you play at 100% fitness. As a batsman, you want to prepare a certain way. As a fielder, you want to contribute a certain way.”Certainly, at this stage, the injury has an element of being aggravated in the field. While batting, there is no problem whatsoever of it getting aggravated. I have taken medication after the last game, so I am just hoping that it takes me [only] a bit more time to get back to the normal movements that I have. As I said, I have to give it a few more hours and take that call.”As captain, Kohli said it would be difficult for him to miss the match, but he could do nothing but wait and hope.”Of course you want to push yourself to be fit. But at times, you have to understand where your body stands as well,” he said. “It’s not an injury caused because of lack of fitness. It’s an impact injury and all those things need to be kept in mind. But as a player, as a captain obviously, you want to push yourself to take the field, if you can help the team’s cause.”With the series 1-1 going into the final Test, Dharamsala shapes up to be one of India’s most important matches in recent times, and a difficult one for India to negotiate without their captain. Kohli, however, said they had the resources to cope if he couldn’t play.”Every match is crucial for me. It’s no different, it’s a game of cricket,” he said. “It can be made out to be a certain way, saying it’s the most crucial game of my career or captaincy career, but I won’t put it that way. I don’t see any other game or any other opposition differently.”Everyone’s really proud and motivated to play for the country, and me playing or not playing shouldn’t make so much of a difference to the other ten guys because they have a responsibility to fulfil as well.”I’ve not done anything special so far [in the series], but still the guys have fought it out and that shows why we are the number one team in the world. We have quality players who want to step up given these kinds of opportunities and you know, if that scenario happens, I’m sure everyone’s looking at it as probably the game-changing game of their lives. It’s how you look at a particular situation. So everyone’s looking very optimistic for tomorrow’s game regardless.”Conditions in Dharamsala, given its altitude and weather, are expected to favour the quicker bowlers more than they have done at any of the other three venues during this series. Kohli expected the pitch to bring all facets of the game into play.”I think it is a very good cricket wicket,” he said. “It has always been very good for the batsmen to get in and get value for their shots. And the bowlers as well, there is good bounce for the spinners, there is obviously good pace off the wicket for the quicks as well. If you do any discipline well, you can reap rewards on this kind of wicket. And the ball travels in the air also.”I think it’s an opportunity for bat and ball both to dominate in different situations in the game. It will certainly test the players to the fullest, but as I said it is a very good cricketing wicket and good cricket should be on display on this wicket.”The series is level 1-1 after Australia won the first Test in Pune, India the second in Bangalore, and the third was drawn in Ranchi.