Icc Odi Championship

England followed the trend of a bowler-dominated series, losing early wickets after being put into bat by Rohit Sharma in the decider on Sunday.

But new white-ball captain Buttler led the recovery with 60 alongside Moeen Ali (34) before Craig Overton's 32 helped the hosts post 259 all out.

England appeared well-placed to defend the total when Reece Topley dismissed Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit and Virat Kohli to leave India reeling at 38-3.

Yet Rishabh Pant combined with Hardik Pandya (71) for an unbroken stand of 133 as the wicketkeeper-batsman crafted his maiden ODI century, guiding the tourists to a five-wicket victory with 47 balls to spare.

Pant dazzled with his 125 off 113 deliveries, but Buttler missed a glorious stumping chance when the left-hander was on just 18 and paid a heavy price.

"It was a good wicket once you got yourself in, so we were a bit light with the bat. But the start we made with the ball gave us a chance and that missed stumping cost us," Buttler said.

"Pant is a really good player. If you give good players a chance they will hurt you and had we taken those chances we had a good hold with a long tail. But with the score we put up we had to take all our chances.

"We are not quite hitting our straps as a batting unit, but we are not far off. We are just not producing what we are capable of. So hopefully individually and collectively we can find a solution.

"These guys are fantastic to work and there is still a lot of enjoyment. Hopefully we will find our best cricket soon.

"I am an experienced cricketer but a young captain, so I am not worrying too much. I have lots to learn, and I need time to do that."

Hardik set the tone with the ball for India with career-best ODI figures of 4-24 that included the all-rounder having the final say in a short-ball battle with Liam Livingstone (27) by getting him caught on the boundary.

Livingstone and Hardik exchanged words throughout the contest and, despite the India star's wry smile upon the England batter's dismissal, he says the pair's relationship is amicable.

"White ball cricket is something very close to me," Hardik said after India completed 2-1 series victories over England in both the T20I and ODIs.

"I cherish my white-ball game. We all know England are such a good team. For us it was important to check ourselves out with our plans and the World Cup ahead.

"It was an ideal chance for us to step up and show what we have. It was important for me to come in and stop the runs and bowl as many dots.

"We took two wickets early, but they recovered well and were cruising. I love short balls. I don't fancy people taking me on, it always gets me into the game.

"I don't mind getting hit for six sixes as long as I take wickets. I am good pals [with Livingstone] but at the end of the day that's his game. He takes his chances on."

Hardik was also quick to hail the efforts of Pant, saying: "Today he played the situation. Our partnership changed the game and the way he finished the game was special."

Mott was recently appointed England's new limited-overs head coach, with Buttler newly installed as white-ball skipper.

But the pair have not enjoyed the sort of strong start seen in the Test arena under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

England lost ODI and T20I series' to India, both 2-1, before facing South Africa.

A three-match ODI series was drawn, but Buttler's men then let slip a 1-0 lead in the T20Is to lose again.

England looked to be on the right path with their opening 41-run win, only for subsequent reverses by 58 and 90 runs to prompt serious concern.

Following that latest dismal defeat, Mott was not shying away from the need for vast improvement.

"I've just spoken to Jos very briefly, and this is a line in the sand moment for the team," the coach told Sky Sports.

He added: "We were down on confidence with bat and ball. It was disappointing.

"I thought we put ourselves in a good position to win the series, and we'll have take a lot out of that game."

This sequence of underwhelming results comes ahead of a T20 World Cup at the end of the year, too.

"It's been a bit of a struggle," Mott told BBC Sport. "We've had ups and downs throughout the summer.

"We've played two great teams and come out second both times, so we're disappointed."

The one-day series against the Proteas was initially delayed and then cancelled due to positive tests within the bio-secure bubble.

A South African player and two hotel staff members were discovered to have coronavirus, forcing games scheduled for last Friday and Sunday to be postponed respectively, while there were also a pair of "unconfirmed positives" among the touring party.

However, following further testing and analysis, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed the individuals are not infected and no longer need to self-isolate.

"Following the independent ratification of the two unconfirmed positive COVID-19 tests from the England camp in South Africa, the England and Wales Cricket Board can confirm that, following further testing and analysis, in the opinion of the independent virologists based in Cape Town and London, the two individuals are not infected, and do not pose any risk of passing on the infection to the rest of the party," ECB Chief Medical Officer Professor Nick Peirce said in a statement.

"As such, the advice is they are now free to join the rest of the group and are no longer self-isolating. The England party, returning to the UK, will depart Cape Town on Thursday morning."

England and South Africa did play in three Twenty20 matches prior to the scheduled 50-over games, the tourists sweeping the series 3-0.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced the schedule for the trip in February and March of next year, with games to be staged at three bio-secure venues amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of returning home after completing the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in January, England's squad will travel straight to Chennai from Colombo.

There they will play two Tests at the MA Chidambaram Stadium as part of a four-match series in the longest format.

The teams then move on to Ahmedabad, with the Sardar Patel Stadium - a 110,000-capacity venue opened earlier this year - hosting the first day-night Test between the countries. That February 24-28 contest will be the first of two Tests between the teams at the ground.

After the Test action, England will be involved in a five-match Twenty20 series with India in March, followed by a trio of ODI fixtures - all to be staged in Pune - at the end of the same month.

"International cricket between India and England is a highlight of the cricketing calendar and always attracts significant levels of interest from fans around the world," ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said in a statement confirming the fixtures.

"We have been delighted with the planning that has been undertaken by the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] to ensure the three venues in Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune will be ready to host international cricket in a bio-secure environment and look forward to working closely with them over the coming weeks to finalise those plans.

"The prospect of becoming the first international side to play at the magnificent Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad adds an extra dimension to the tour and I know will be something that is a highlight for both the players and management."

Jay Shah, honorary secretary for the BCCI, made clear player safety is paramount as India deals with the effects of the COVID-19 health crisis.

India is only behind the United States in terms of total number of coronavirus cases, with the country seeing over 141,000 deaths so far.

"The BCCI prioritises health and safety of both teams and will leave no stone unturned to make sure that the tour is held adhering to all safety protocols agreed by the BCCI and ECB medical teams," Shah said.

"Both boards have worked closely to put together an exciting series that promises to provide high octane action between two powerhouses of world cricket.

"This will be India's first bilateral series at home since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and the home season will bring back joy to cricket fans."

The opening match of the three-game series last Friday was postponed after a positive test for COVID-19 was returned in the hosts' camp.

Two "unconfirmed" positives within the England party saw the rescheduled match in Paarl cancelled just 30 minutes before its scheduled start time on Sunday.

The second ODI in Cape Town was later postponed as a precaution while players and team management went into self-isolation in their hotel rooms.

It had been hoped that back-to-back ODIs could be played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday and Wednesday before the tourists returned to England on Thursday.

However, on Monday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the tour was off "to ensure mental and physical health and welfare of players from both teams".

ECB CEO Tom Harrison said: "We have always maintained that the welfare of our players and management is paramount.

"We were concerned about the potential impact that recent developments might have on the wellbeing of the touring party, and so after consultation with Cricket South Africa [CSA], we have jointly made the decision to postpone the remaining matches in this series, in the best interest of the players' welfare.

"I would like to thank Cricket South Africa for their support and understanding on this matter and look forward to working with them to identify a time when we can return to play these fixtures in the future."

CSA acting CEO Kugandrie Govender said: "The concern over the mental health impact of recent events on all involved is not one that we as CSA or the ECB take lightly, and the decision to postpone the tour is the most responsible and reasonable course of action for us.

"I would like to thank the ECB for the continued positive relations, and we look forward to hosting the England men's team in the near future."

England won the three-match Twenty20 series between the sides 3-0.

Concern over a rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the India camp caused the match to be called off on September 10.

Rather than being staged at Lancashire's home ground, however, the fixture has been switched to be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement: "The match, which was due to take place last month at Emirates Old Trafford, was called off when India were unable to field a team due to fears of a further increase in the number of COVID-19 cases inside the camp.

"With India leading the series 2-1, the concluding fifth match will now take place from July 1, 2022, at Edgbaston, following an agreement between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)."

The ECB cited "complexities in the schedule" that meant Old Trafford could not host the rescheduled match, pointing to "clashes with pre-planned events at the venue, which will leave insufficient time to prepare a Test pitch".

Those events have not been specified; however, rock band Foo Fighters are due to play a concert at the cricket stadium on June 25.

Old Trafford will still get a Test match next year, with the second match of England's series against South Africa being switched from Edgbaston to the Manchester venue, with that match due to start on August 25.

The start of the planned T20I and ODI series between England and India has been set back by six days due to the Test being planted in the diary, and the T20I games will get under way on July 7 at the Ageas Bowl.

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said of the fixture shake-up: "We are very pleased that we have reached an agreement with BCCI to creating a fitting end to what has been a brilliant series so far."

BCCI honorary secretary Mr Jay Shah said: "I am delighted that the England-India Test series will now have its rightful conclusion. The four Test matches were riveting, and we needed a fitting finale."

Pakistan won the decisive third ODI by 28 runs at Centurion.

They set South Africa a target of 321 after Fakhar (101) followed up his memorable innings of 193 last time out – an ODI record score in a run chase – with another century.

Pakistan captain Babar scored a century at this venue in the first ODI and almost repeated the trick before falling for 94, while Hasan Ali smashed 32 from 11 balls as the tourists scored 320-7.

Janneman Malan (70), Kyle Verreynne (62) and Andile Phehlukwayo (54) ensured South Africa – who were playing without their Indian Premier League contingent – were competitive in their run chase.

But they were ultimately bowled out for 292 in the final over as Pakistan continued a fine ODI streak that has seen them lose only two of their last 12 matches.

It is only the second time in 10 attempts that Pakistan have defeated South Africa in a 50-over series, this win coming after their triumph on the 2013 tour.

The two teams now turn their attention to a four-match T20 series which begins on Saturday.

With an all-new seam attack due to the absence of the likes of IPL duo Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, South Africa struggled to make an impression with the ball.

Fakhar had nine fours and three sixes as he put on 112 with Imam-ul-Haq (57) and then 94 with Babar to leave the tourists at 206-2 by the time his 104-ball innings came to an end.

He was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj, the pick of the Proteas bowlers with figures of 3-45.

The Pakistan innings had a huge finish when Hasan fired four maximums off the bowling of JJ Smuts (1-67) in the penultimate over.

Babar remained until he fell on the final delivery, caught by Verreynne on the boundary as he sought a six that would have taken him to three figures.

South Africa were left needing 76 from the last seven overs with five wickets in hand.

But their hopes of a successful run chase ended when they lost both Verreynne and Phehlukwayo – who put on 108 for the sixth wicket – in the space of seven balls.

It meant defeat for new captain Temba Bavuma, who has been handed the job through to the 2023 Cricket World Cup, in his first series at the helm.

Finch rushed for a single after Smith shot to short third man but the former skipper never fully committed and Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer combined to send the ball to Mohammed Shami, who whipped the bails off at the non-striker's end.

Although Smith went on to score a stunning 131, India limited the tourists to 286-9 in Bengaluru.

Rohit Sharma (119) and Virat Kohli (89) formed a pivotal 137-run partnership and India went on to win by seven wickets with 15 balls remaining, sealing a 2-1 series triumph.

"We haven't discussed it yet, maybe we will tonight over a beer," said Finch of the incident with Smith.

"He played an exceptional knock, he rode the momentum when he had to, controlled the innings at various parts when we'd lose a wicket.

"He really controlled that middle part which was really important to give us a chance at the back end. It was a top knock, real quality."

Australia won a five-match series in India last March 3-2 and Kohli was proud to have atoned for that defeat.

"We just want to go upwards and onwards. Getting one back given that we lost the series at home last year is really satisfying," said Kohli.

"Australia were even better than last time. There's Steve, David [Warner] and Marnus [Labuschagne]. A quality bowling attack, and really intense in the field too.

"We lost the last three in the last series and coming back and winning the last two games after losing the first one, is very satisfying."

Shikhar Dhawan had to leave the field early in Australia's innings and was sent for an X-ray on his left shoulder, which he hurt while diving in the field.

Kohli was proud of how India coped without Dhawan, who could be a doubt for their tour of New Zealand, which begins with the first of five Twenty20 games on Friday.

"We're quite experienced, Rohit and I, and we were short of Shikhar's experience," said Kohli.

"We got a good start. We expect openers of the quality of Rohit and KL [Rahul] to give us starts like that.

"When KL got out it was a tricky situation. The ball was gripping and turning a bit, and this is where experience comes in.

"We [Rohit and Kohli] spoke of stringing together a partnership and all Australia want are wickets and if we don't give them wickets we can chase seven or eight runs an over later on. We have that belief in our skill."

Kohli made his Test debut nine years ago and has gone on to become one of the game's greatest batsmen, as well as taking on the captaincy across all three formats.

There is little love lost on the field between Australia and India but Finch recognises Kohli's class, saying he is part of a group of players such as Steve Smith, Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar who define greatness.

"Every player, regardless of who it is, has a bad series. But very, very rarely do you see Kohli, Smith, even going back Ponting, Sachin, these guys they don't have two bad series in a row," Finch said on the Sony Ten Pit Stop show.

"The pressure of playing for India is one thing but also leading India is another and the way he has done it, so consistently for a long time.

"And taking over from [MS] Dhoni, the leadership, that is huge. The expectations were high and he kept delivering and I think that that is the most impressive thing.

"What has been so impressive for so long is just his consistency across three formats. To be the best player of all-time in ODI cricket is one thing. But then to also be in Test cricket and T20 cricket as a rounded player, that is remarkable."

Australia are scheduled to go head-to-head with India for three T20 matches in October, before beginning a four-Test series in December and rounding out with three ODIs in January next year.

The uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic means no fixtures are particularly set in stone right now, but Finch says the rivalry between Australia and India is hot regardless of the format.

"India and Australia are two very successful teams, two countries that are very passionate about cricket as well. So, it's hard to compare the rivalry [in Tests and ODIs]," Finch told reporters on virtual news conference.

"One is the traditional game of Test cricket and the grind of five days, that mental battle day in day out while one-day cricket is more skill-based obviously, just on that day. If a couple of guys have a great day on the field, it goes a long way in winning the match.

"That said, it's not a case of being less important or being taken lightly because it's ODI or T20 cricket."

The global health pandemic has seen Australia's home ODI series with Zimbabwe, which was scheduled for August, postponed indefinitely.

As things stand, T20 clashes with the West Indies and India in October that precede the T20 World Cup – which could still be rearranged – will be the next assignments for Australia.

But there remains the possibility of limited-overs matches being organised to take place in England, something Finch is preparing for.

"It's a little bit up in the air, just with how quickly everything is changing. In Victoria [where restrictions have been tightened] we are going the other way again," he said.

"We're not exactly sure when our next game is going to be. In our mind we were planning for Zimbabwe, we were planning for England, and all going well, I think that was our next game, that's what we are planning for.

"I am preparing to go to England and play, whether that happens we will wait and see.

"We just have to be really conscious of being ultra flexible. There might be a tour comes up at relatively short notice because we can get there, and that would be brilliant.

"Whatever it takes. The players are all in the same boat. Whatever we have to do to get a game up and going, that is in the best interest of world cricket, we’d be up for that."

Babar is the top-ranked Twenty20 international batsman in the world and has established himself as one of the best players on the planet in all formats.

The 25-year-old was named T20I skipper last October and also took the ODI captaincy this month.

Flower recognised the elegant right-hander was a special talent when he first started working with him as Pakistan batting coach and believes he is destined for greatness.

He told Stats Perform News: "Babar is brilliant.

"The first time I saw him play and first time I worked with him - when I threw balls at him at the academy in Lahore - he picked up length so much quicker than the rest of the players and I think that's the hallmark of a great batsman.

"If you look at some of the best players in the world like Steve Smith, Virat Kohli et cetera, they pick up length really quickly and play the ball late, have a great eye and hand-eye coordination. He has that and I think he is going to break a lot of records.

"Even in T20 cricket he plays normal cricket shots and that is also the sign of a great player. As long as he stays humble, which I'm sure he will as he's a good bloke, there is no reason why he can't be one of the best and he already pretty much is."

Sri Lanka batting coach Flower hopes Babar thrives as a leader but fears his form could suffer due to the extra pressure on his shoulders.

The former Zimbabwe all-rounder said: "He's got a good cricketing brain but there's a lot of politics in Pakistan cricket and a lot of pressure from the public.

"If you start losing, it's one thing being the best batsman but that will put pressure on your batting skills and it can all come tumbling down pretty quickly.

"We've seen with great players in the past the pressures that captaincy can bring, but some players get better and if he gets better then the world is his oyster. Time will tell.

"But he seems pretty positive about it, I read what he said in an interview when he got the captaincy. I wish him all the best and hopefully all positives come with that."

- Grant Flower was speaking on behalf of The Conservation Games, a first-of-its-kind initiative from the Zambesia Conservation Alliance. To watch Grant in action, visit and subscribe to the Conservation Games channel on YouTube.

Thorpe took the role with Afghanistan in March, just two months after being dismissed from his job as an assistant coach with England following another Ashes thrashing against Australia. 

The 52-year-old fell seriously ill only two months after his appointment, with Raees Khan operating on an interim basis. 

But the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) have made a permanent appointment by offering Trott his first senior head coach role on Friday. 

"I'm honoured and excited to have the opportunity to take one of international cricket's most exciting teams through what is a huge year for their development as a team," he said in an ACB statement. 

"I can't wait to get to work with a group of players who are clearly capable of generating results in a style that will make the people of Afghanistan proud." 

Trott will begin his tenure with the five-match T20I series in Ireland in August before the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the second T20 World Cup in as many years in Australia between October and November. 

The 41-year-old has previous experience working alongside Mark Robinson as Warwickshire's assistant coach, before being a batting coach with England, England Lions and Scotland. 

Former middle-order batter Trott has also worked with Trent Rockets in England's domestic competition The Hundred and operated as part of Kent's backroom staff. 

During his playing career, Trott appeared in 52 Tests for England and scored 3,835 runs at an average of 44.1, including nine centuries and a high score of 226. 

He also played in 68 ODIs, amassing 2,819 runs at an average of 51.3 with four hundreds and 22 half-centuries, and made seven appearances in T20Is. 

Thorpe was assistant coach with England until early February when he was part of the post-Ashes exodus that also saw head coach Chris Silverwood and managing director Ashley Giles moved on after the 4-0 humbling by Australia.

The 52-year-old enjoyed an impressive playing career for his country, scoring 6,744 runs in 100 Test matches at an average of 44.66 with the bat before retiring in 2005.

A statement on the official Afghanistan Cricket Board's website on Tuesday confirmed the appointment, saying: "Former English middle-order batter Graham Thorpe has been named as the new head coach of our national men’s cricket team.

"He will step up into the role of head coach ahead of the upcoming international events of Afghanistan.

"After his tenure as a cricketer, Thorpe took to coaching roles at different levels, the biggest of them being the batting coach for the English National team from April 2011 to September 2019.

"He has worked with all the England players across international formats, completed six England Lions tours and 12 England senior men's tours.

"He has also worked as a lead batting coach with World Cup Winner England Team during the 2019 Cricket World Cup."

Thorpe's first games in charge will be close to home as Afghanistan are scheduled to tour Ireland in July and August.

After racking up 385-9 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, India bowled out their opponents for 295, and Tuesday's victory lifts them above England to the top of the ICC ODI team rankings.

Gill, who hit a double hundred in the first match, shared in a stand of 212 with Rohit for the first wicket on Tuesday, the fifth-largest ODI partnership by an India opening pair.

After setting the tone for the contest as both openers reached three figures, Rohit was bowled by Michael Bracewell for 101 from 85 balls at the start of the 27th over, while Gill went soon after for a 78-ball 112 when he got a leading edge to present Blair Tickner (3-76) with the first of his three wickets.

Gill totalled 360 runs across the three games, matching Babar Azam's record for the most scored in a three-match bilateral men's ODI series.

Virat Kohli added 36 and Hardik Pandya weighed in with 54 before becoming the third victim of Jacob Duffy, the New Zealand paceman who returned conspicuous figures of 3-100.

Devon Conway's heroics in New Zealand's reply were in vain, as he cracked 138 from 100 balls before being caught by Rohit at midwicket when looking to pull Umran Malik away to the boundary.

Conway blazed eight sixes in his terrific counter-attack but lacked support. Once he became the sixth Black Caps batter to be dismissed, with the score on 230, the tourists' hopes were all but over, and the innings inevitably petered out.

Holkar a happy home for India

India preserved their 100 per cent record in ODIs at the stadium in Indore, which was staging such a match for just the sixth time. This is the most matches they have won at any venue in ODIs without losing, beating the five wins and one tie they have had at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

This India team are in a rich vein of ODI form, wherever they play, having won all six of their matches in 2023, with this success improving what was already their best winning run to begin a calendar year.

Duffy's sorry century

Duffy's figures of 3-100 made him just the third New Zealand bowler to concede 100 or more runs in a men's ODI, after Martin Snedden (2-105 vs England in 1983) and Tim Southee (0-105 vs India in 2009). Duffy's three wickets, however, gave him the most victims of any bowler to have conceded a century of runs in such a match.

Gill's massive knock of 208 proved crucial despite Michael Bracewell (140) leading a superb New Zealand fightback attempt at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Bracewell's heroics were not enough, however, with India finally ending his resistance in the last over.

Generally, it proved a tricky track for batting, with Rohit Sharma the hosts' second-highest scorer on just 34.

But this was all about Gill, whose aggression ensured India's momentum rarely waned even as wickets tumbled around him, the team reaching 349-8.

He got lucky just before reaching 50 as an outside edge off Bracewell was dropped by Tom Latham, but he powered on and tallied his century off just 86 balls.

It was Gill's ruthless approach in the final three overs that was ultimately decisive. Two sixes in the 48th and then a hat-trick of maximums in the 49th saw him surpass 200, before eventually falling to a brilliant Glenn Phillips catch in the last.

It took a while for New Zealand to look capable of threatening India's total, finding themselves in deep trouble at 131-6 in the 29th over.

With the Black Caps floundering, Bracewell had nothing to lose and made a mockery of the India attack.

His 140 off just 78, hitting an astonishing 10 sixes and 12 fours, ensured New Zealand were still in contention in the final over, requiring 13 runs off five balls.

But Shardul Thakur's yorker snared Bracewell lbw, just clipping his heel for the final wicket, leaving India rather relieved with New Zealand 337 all out.
 

Gill goes into the record books

With his exquisite knock, Gill became the only Indian batter to score a double century against New Zealand in the 50-over format.

He is the fifth batter from India to hit 200 or more in an ODI, while he is the joint-second fastest player to reach 1,000 ODI runs, alongside Pakistan's Iman-ul-Haq (19 innings).

Gill had nine sixes and a further 19 fours in his memorable 149-ball knock.

Siraj sharp with the ball

Mohammed Siraj was the only bowler to take more than two wickets on the day, ending with figures of 4-46.

He could not remove Bracewell, with Shardul eventually claiming that honour, but Siraj undoubtedly played a key role here, with the dangerous Mitchell Santner (57) and captain Latham (24) among his scalps.

Archer excelled on his introduction to the international game last year, starring in England's Cricket World Cup win and then the 2-2 home Ashes series draw against Australia.

The 25-year-old claimed 55 wickets across all formats in 2019 but a tough tour of New Zealand and mixed fortunes as England were subsequently victorious in South Africa brought his performances into question.

Conjecture generally whipped up whenever the Barbados-born paceman let his speeds slip below the high speeds that allow him to thrill spectators and terrify batsmen.

Gillespie takes charge of Archer at Sussex when his commitments for England and in global T20 leagues allow.

A world-class seamer during his playing days for Australia, he feels the slights directed towards the player "couldn’t be further from the truth".

“I've been very excited by Jofra," he told Stats Perform. "Obviously, he plays at Sussex and my dealings with Jofra have been nothing short of fantastic.

"He's a very likeable young man, loves his cricket, very passionate, he's very hardworking.

"I’ve been pretty disappointed with some of the criticism levelled at Jofra. I think he suffers a little bit from perception. There's that laid-back demeanour that he has.

"He's got a few gold chains, he's got the different hairstyle, he’s got that sort of laid-back West Indian approach. He's Barbadian-born, so he has that approach.

"That perception of that laid-back attitude, people assume that he doesn’t care or he’s not putting [effort] in, and that couldn't be further from the truth. The kid lives and breathes cricket, and I think he's been fantastic."

Gillespie was tipped by some to be leading Archer in the next stage of his international career, with his name linked to the vacancy that emerged when Trevor Bayliss stepped down at the end of the Ashes.

The England and Wales Cricket Board ultimately entrusted bowling coach and former Essex head coach Chris Silverwood to step up.

Content in his roles with Sussex and Big Bash outfit the Adelaide Strikers, Gillespie insists his association with the role never amounted to anything more than gossip – although he would consider offers to work at international level.

“My name was linked with it but at no stage have I had an official interview or anything like that for any role," he explained.

"I think my name got bandied around along with a number of other coaches in the world. I'd love to be involved with international cricket at some point in the future.

"Right now, I’ve got a wonderful job at Sussex, a wonderful job at the Adelaide Strikers, and I'm really enjoying those roles.

"If something does come up in international cricket, you’d certainly have a look at it. As a career coach, you want to progress and work with the best players. Anyone would be open to having those conversations, but at the moment, my focus is on Sussex and the Strikers." 

The former Proteas captain was given the role for three months back in December.

It had been expected CSA would look to extend his time in the job and he has now been handed an initial two-year contract.

"Graeme has made a huge impact with his energy, expertise, hard work ethic and characteristic determination and passion he has brought to the position during the six months he has served in an acting capacity," said CSA acting chief executive Dr. Jacques Faul.

"Although there is certainly a great deal of work to be done, as reflected by the performances of our various national teams, he has certainly put our cricket on an upward trajectory that provides light at the end of the tunnel.

"He has bought into all the overall pillars of our strategy and that includes the important one of transformation.

"As far as the technical and support teams he has put together are concerned, the black generic component amounted to more than 70 per cent across the board and the Black African component varied between 30 and 60 per cent for the Standard Bank Proteas for the home international season, for the Momentum Proteas for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup and for the ICC under-19 World Cup, which we were privileged and proud to host.

"He also made a number of strategic temporary appointments with Linda Zondi appointed interim independent national selector, Ashwell Prince taking charge of South Africa A and Malibongwe Maketa joining the under-19 squad as a coaching consultant."

Smith added: "My appointment brings a degree of permanency to my position which makes planning the road ahead a lot easier.

"As Dr. Faul has said, there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, not just at international level but throughout our pipeline development pathways as well but I am determined to get South African cricket back to where it belongs as one of the world leaders at international level."

Smith scored 9,265 Test runs and 6,989 in ODI cricket in a decorated career as an opening batsman for his country.

South Africa's youngest skipper, he is the most successful captain in Test history, having led the Proteas to 53 wins in the longest format.

However, they are winless in their last three series, with home defeats to Sri Lanka and England sandwiched by a whitewash in India. They also failed to progress beyond the group stage of last year's World Cup.

Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Henry Brookes are among those selected yet to feature at international level, but there is no place for experienced duo Alex Hales or Liam Plunkett. 

David Willey, Ben Duckett and Dawid Malan, however, will be hoping to make a return for England after they were asked to report for sessions that will go ahead subject to government approval. 

Bowlers were able to begin individual training last week for the first time since they were forced into lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

There has been no confirmation of when England will play next, but a large training group was announced on Friday ahead of a proposed Test series with West Indies on home soil, as well as one-day games against Ireland.

England and Wales Cricket Board performance director Mo Bobat said: "It's really pleasing to be in a position to have players returning to training and a huge amount of work has been done by many to get us this far. 

"The pool of players will give selectors strong options when it comes to selecting squads across formats further down the line, as we move closer to our aim of playing international cricket this summer. 

"We will need to continue to work closely with our medical team and government to ensure that our return to training and play activities are in line with best-practice guidelines. 

"We're also really grateful for the positive and collaborative response from our county colleagues who are doing a great job at facilitating coaching and support for the players. The fact that we can call on our network to support the national effort shows the strength of our system." 

England training group: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Dom Bess, Sam Billings, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Henry Brookes, Pat Brown, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Mason Crane, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Joe Denly, Ben Duckett, Laurie Evans, Ben Foakes, Richard Gleeson, Lewis Gregory, Sam Hain, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Keaton Jennings, Chris Jordan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, James Vince, Amar Virdi, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

India captain Rohit Sharma's decision to bowl first paid dividends as England's high-powered line-up was bowled out for 259.

Hardik starred for an India attack missing Jasprit Bumrah through back spasms, with career-best ODI figures of 4-24 before Pant hit a magnificent 125 not out.

Mohammed Siraj removed Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root for ducks in his first over and, after a mini-recovery, England were 74-4 when Hardik removed both Jason Roy (41) and Ben Stokes (27).

Captain Jos Buttler (60) steadied the ship with his first half-century of a series dominated by the ball, but his stand of 75 with Moeen Ali ended when Ravindra Jadeja had the latter caught down the leg side.

A fascinating short-ball battle between Hardik and Liam Livingstone (27) ended with Livingstone caught on the rope by Jadeja, and Buttler fell to a diving catch from the same fielder.

Craig Overton took advantage of a sloppy period from India thereafter to get England past 250, and it looked as if India may pay the price as Reece Topley ran through their top order; Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit and Virat Kohli all removed by the tall fast bowler to leave the tourists 38-3.

Overton got Suryakumar Yadav caught behind, but England were confounded by the combination of Hardik (71) and Pant, who put on 133 before India's all-rounder was dismissed by a superb catch from his opposition counterpart Ben Stokes.

It mattered not as Pant reached three figures for the first time and then hit David Willey for five fours in an over; getting India over the line with a reverse sweep from Joe Root for his 18th boundary of a tremendous display.

Hardik plays pivotal role

Hardik had never before taken four wickets in an ODI - his previous best figures were 3-31 against New Zealand in 2016. He changed that in stunning fashion as he dismissed the heart of a formidable England XI.

And, with India teetering in their reply, it was Hardik who turned the game firmly in their favour with his sixth-highest ODI score, unfurling a series of sublime cover drives in an innings defined by an impressive combination of discipline and aggression.

Pant punishes missed opportunity

Buttler missed a huge opportunity to end Pant's innings on 18, letting a stumping chance go begging.

Pant punished England's captain in style. He smacked Stokes down the ground for his 50 and brought up 100 in 106 balls, before his remarkable bludgeoning of Willey ended the game as a contest.

All-rounder Pandya had not played an international game since September having undergone back surgery.

A shoulder injury suffered in the ODIs with Australia in January had kept Dhawan on the sidelines, while Bhuvneshwar, who last played for India in December, has been out with a sports hernia.

They return to the squad along with opener Shubman Gill. Kedar Jadhav, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami and Mayank Agarwal drop out from the squad that suffered a 3-0 whitewash in New Zealand.

Pandya provided a reminder of his quality with the bat as he proved his fitness to selectors in the invitational DY Patil T20 competition.

He scored two centuries in that tournament, including an unbeaten 158, and will hope to make a similar impact against a South Africa side that completed a 3-0 series win over Australia on Saturday.

The first match of the three-game series takes place on Thursday in Dharamsala.

India squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Navdeep Saini, Prithvi Shaw, Kuldeep Yadav.

The Windies had set the hosts 290 to win the opening match of the three-game series, Shai Hope leading the way with 115 as he scored his ninth ODI century.

It was a target that looked like it could well be beyond Sri Lanka after their innings lost impetus following a 111-run first-wicket partnership between Avishka Fernando (50) and captain Dimuth Karunaratne (52).

Thisara Perera played an in important role with a 22-ball 32, but when he was caught off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph the match was very much in the balance with Sri Lanka on 253-7.

However, Hasaranga (42 off 39) produced a performance that belied his ODI average of 14.37 to get Sri Lanka over the finish line.

Hasaranga's ability to find the rope – he struck a quartet of fours and one maximum – and inaccurate death bowling from the Windies left the scores level going into the final over.

A direct-hit run out from Sunil Ambris to remove Lakshan Sandakan frayed the nerves a little, but the one run Sri Lanka needed came from a Keemo Paul no-ball off the next delivery.