India

The tourists had failed to win a Test in Centurion in their two previous matches, but bowled the Proteas out for 191 to draw first blood in the three-match series.

Jasprit Bumrah (3-50) and Mohammed Shami (3-63) were the picks of the bowlers, with support from Mohammed Siraj (2-47) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-18).

Battling knocks from Dean Elgar (77) and Temba Bavuma (35 not out) were in vain, with India sealing only their fourth Test win in South Africa just after lunch on Friday.

Bumrah got the breakthrough 10 overs into the morning session after the Proteas resumed on 94-4, trapping captain Elgar lbw with a ball that nipped back off the seam.

Quinton de Kock got a start but fell for 21 when he chopped on attempting to cut Siraj.

Bavuma continued to dig in, but India took lunch closing in on victory with South Africa 182-7 after Wiaan Mulder nicked a textbook probing delivery from Shami through to Rishabh Pant.

India only needed two overs of the afternoon session to finish the contest, Shami removing Marco Jansen before Ashwin got rid of Kagiso Rabada and had Lungi Ngidi caught by Cheteshwar Pujara at leg slip first ball.

Bumrah a tormentor on tour

India paceman Bumrah struck a massive early blow by seeing the back of South Africa skipper Elgar.

The dismissal of the gritty opener was Bumrah's 100th overseas in 23 Tests, making him the fastest to reach that landmark for India.

Bumrah produced a brilliant delivery to clean up Rassie van der Dussen on day four before also making a mess of Keshav Maharaj's stumps.

Battling Elgar and Bavuma show Proteas are up for the fight

South Africa have never lost a home Test series against India and although that record is seriously under threat, they have shown plenty of fight this week.

The Proteas have shown their potency with the ball and although they failed to make 200 in both innings, Elgar and Bavuma showed the sort of application that will be required if they are to mount a fightback.

India's relentless attack could not find a way to dismiss Bavuma, who faced 80 balls and batted for over two hours in the second innings, while Elgar led by example in a four-hour knock before falling to Bumrah.

India made 351-5 off their 50 overs, their highest ODI total in the West Indies, after being put in to bat by the hosts.

Openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill once again shared in a prolific opening partnership, this time putting on 143 for the first wicket.

Gill top-scored with 85 off 92 balls including 11 fours while Kishan made 77 off 64 balls, his third half-century in the series, hitting eight fours and three sixes in the process.

India also got half-centuries from Captain Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson.

Pandya hit an unbeaten 52-ball 70 including four fours and five sixes while Samson made 51 off 41 balls including a pair of fours and four sixes. Suryakumar Yadav also contributed 35.

Romario Shepherd took 2-73 from his 10 overs for the Windies.

Then, similar to their batting effort in first ODI where they were dismissed for 114 batting first, early wickets meant the West Indian chase was over before it could really begin.

They lost their first six wickets for just 50 in 14 overs before, eventually, being bowled out for 151 in 35 overs.

Gudakesh Motie provided some late entertainment for the crowd with 39* off 34 balls including four fours and three sixes.

Alick Athanaze had earlier made 32 while Alzarri Joseph made 26.

Shardul Thakur led the way with the ball for India with 4-37 off 6.3 overs while Mukesh Kumar took 3-30 off seven overs and Kuldeep Yadav took 2-25 from eight overs.

The visitors completed a clean sweep of the two-match series thanks to a superb second-wicket stand of 176 between Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda, eventually reaching 225-7.

That partnership proved enough to stave off what would have been a famous Irish triumph, but only by a narrow margin after skipper Andrew Balbirnie's 60 off 37 balls dragged the hosts close to victory.

With a six required for a stunning win, Mark Adair could only manage a single on the final ball to ensure India clung on in what proved a far tougher match than their blowout seven-wicket win on Sunday.

Ahead of next month's three-game tour against England, which follows this week's rearranged fifth Test match at Edgbaston, the visitors will feel they have been now suitably tested.

Samson and Hooda overcame the early loss of Ishan Kishan for three to make it a magnificent display with 77 and 104 respectively, combining for a cumulative 28 boundaries between them.

Though a flurry of late wickets looked to have checked India's stride, their total still seemed to represent a tall order for Ireland to chase, particularly after Balbirnie fell to make it 107-3 in response after 10.3 overs.

But Harry Tector (39) and George Dockrell (34) helped lead a stirring reply to take the match down to the wire, where the hosts fell agonisingly short of a historic result.

Kishan yet to lock in spot?

With three in this match and 26 on Sunday, Kishan hasn't had a two-game streak to remember - and with just one 50 in his past five T20Is, there is an argument - perhaps bizarrely - that his spot at the top of the order for this year's T20I World Cup remains in flux. The left-hander will likely be safe even with a poor run against England however, thanks to doubling as wicketkeeper.

Tector tough to touch

Harry Tector was in the mood to bat fast again, and clubbed his 39 from 28 balls, with five boundaries. It comes on the back of a standout innings in the first match, and a trio of impressive scores in February, including a half-century off 37 balls against the United Arab Emirates.

Batsman Rohit suffered a hamstring injury during the ongoing Indian Premier League season, and it is unclear if he will play again in the 2020 edition for Mumbai Indians.

Ishant, meanwhile, has not featured at all in the IPL due to an abdominal muscle issue, though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) added the duo will continue to be monitored.

The Test party does include uncapped paceman Mohammed Siraj, as well as left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

KL Rahul, who is vice-captain for the one-day and Twenty20 squads, is recalled for Test duty. His previous outing in the longest format was against West Indies over a year ago, though the right-handed batsman has been in superb form for King's XI Punjab in the IPL.

Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant are selected as the wicketkeepers for the four-match series, though the latter has been left out of the white-ball squads.

Virat Kohli will captain India in all three formats, with the schedule for the trip still to be officially confirmed.

The BCCI also announced that four additional bowlers – Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kartik Tyagi, Ishan Porel and T Natarajan – will travel.

Test squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj.

ODI squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

T20 squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy.

Gill (110) scored his maiden Test hundred and Pujara (102 not out) made his first for almost four years, with the tourists declaring on 258-2 in their second innings.

India had earlier bowled out the Tigers for 150 to take a first-innings lead of 254 runs.

Set an improbable victory target of 513 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Bangladesh were 41 without loss at stumps on Friday.

Kuldeep Yadav (5-40) completed a five-wicket haul as India wrapped up the Tigers' first innings in the morning session after they resumed on 133-8 in Chattogram.

Gill and KL Rahul then put on 70 for the first India wicket before Khaled Ahmed had the captain caught by Taijul Islam for 23.

The excellent Gill and Pujara then combined for a stand of 113 to extend the lead, raising the run rate with Ebadot Hossain off the field and Shakib Al Hasan not bowling due to a rib issue.

Gill took a bow after reaching three figures in the longest format for the first time, before he fell to Mehidy Hasan, and Rahul declared after Pujara brought up an elusive hundred.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan looked assured as they saw Bangladesh through to the close, but they will head to the middle on Saturday with much work to do,

Gill grasps his chance, wait over for Pujara

The absence of injured captain Rohit Sharma opened the door for Gill to come in at the top of the order.

Gill has taken his chance, making his maiden hundred in his 12th Test. He hit three sixes and found the rope 10 times in a 152-ball knock.

Pujara had not reached three figures in the longest format since January 2019, but he followed up his 90 in the first innings by scoring a 19th Test century.

Kuldeep shines on his return

Spinner Kuldeep has bowled beautifully in his first Test since February 2021, claiming a third five-wicket Test haul.

After taking four wickets on the second day, he had Ebadot caught behind before Mehidy was stumped by Rishabh Pant off the bowling of Axar Patel to end Bangladesh's first innings.

Virat Kohli's India resumed on 9-1 on day three of the opening day-night Test in Adelaide, but the visitors capitulated as Australia's merciless pace attack ran rampant.

Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were the chief destroyers at Adelaide Oval, where the pair finished 5-8 and 4-21 respectively to leave Australia requiring just 90 runs for victory.

India remarkably crumbled in just 15.2 overs to record their lowest Test score after Mohammed Shami retired hurt (one), lower than the country's previous record of 42 against England in 1974.

None of India's batsmen reached double figures – Mayank Agarwal the topscorer with nine, while captain Kohli was sent packing by Cummins for just four.

It is also the joint fifth-lowest Test score – behind New Zealand's all-time record of 26 set in 1955, while it is the joint-lowest team total in the format on Australian soil after South Africa's performance against Australia in 1932.

"Everything went to plan today," Hazlewood told Fox Cricket. "The way Patty started was unbelievable getting the two big wickets and I just followed suit."

It is understood the world’s number one-ranked Test bowler did not travel with India’s squad as the two teams travelled from Rajkot to the Jharkhand capital on a charter flight on Tuesday afternoon.

While there has been no definitive confirmation Bumrah will miss out, he has been the only frontline fast bowler from either side to be an ever-present in the series so far and there is just a four-day turnaround between the end of the third Test and start of the fourth.

It was widely reported that Bumrah would miss out in Rajkot after his starring role earlier this month in Visakhapatnam, where a nine-wicket match haul helped India level the series.

Bumrah featured in the third Test but had a more understated role with just one wicket in each innings on a flat pitch as India claimed victory by a record 434-run margin to move 2-1 up with two to play.

Despite being without several regulars in this series, including Virat Kohli because of personal reasons and injuries sidelining Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant, it seems India will leave out Bumrah this week where conditions are again unlikely to be in his favour.

Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 dismissals at a stunning average of 13.64 and it is thought the more seam-friendly conditions in Dharamshala – the venue for the fifth Test – will be much more to his liking.

England head coach Brendon McCullum anticipates a wicket which will turn as they take a step into the unknown later this week at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

The venue has played host to just two Tests, the most recent in October 2019 where India beat South Africa by an innings and 202 runs, while England’s only previous visit to Ranchi was 11 years ago in an ODI.

Joe Root is the only survivor from that match in the current England squad. The Yorkshireman has struggled with the bat in the past few weeks, yet to reach 30 in six attempts although he has had a more prominent bowling role, sending down 107 overs so far.

Asked if Root could shuffle down the batting order by a place or two to make allowances for his extra workload, McCullum insisted the idea has not been discussed between him and captain Ben Stokes.

“I haven’t thought about it,” McCullum said. “I think Joe wants to be in the game. He’s totally invested in where this team wants to go. You see him on the field: he’s constantly going up to Stokesy.

“He’s incredibly invested. He spent a lot of time with his team-mates working in the nets on stuff as well. He wants a bigger role that he’s obviously offering. Honestly, I think Joe will be absolutely fine.”

South Africa had won the first match by nine runs in Lucknow, after a 2-1 reverse in the preceding T20I series, but India made light work of their chase in Sunday's second tussle between the teams.

Iyer hit 15 fours in his ODI career-best 113 not out, with Ishan Kishan weighing in with 93 as the third-wicket pair put India firmly on course for victory.

A stand of 129 for the third wicket between Reeza Hendricks (74) and Aiden Markram (79) underpinned South Africa's 278-7, with Heinrich Klaasen (30) and David Miller (35no) also making handy contributions lower down the order.

Opening bowler Mohammed Siraj took 3-38 from his 10 overs, including the wickets of Hendricks and opener Quinton de Kock. The paceman bowled the final over of the innings, from which South Africa could only prise three runs, putting the hosts on a high heading into their reply.

India lost openers Shikhar Dhawan, who captained the side, and Shubman Gill before the score reached 50. However, Kishan and Iyer soon took a grip on proceedings, putting on 161 for the third wicket.

Kishan had clubbed seven sixes and went down on the attack, caught by Hendricks while attempting to pull away a delivery from Bjorn Fortuin. 

Sanju Samson joined forces with Iyer, making 29 not out in the supporting role before Iyer chopped away the winning boundary, taking India to a winning score of 282-3 with 4.1 overs to spare.

Get set for Delhi decider

This three-match series will come to a head on Tuesday, before the teams head off to the T20 World Cup. India go there on a high after the batting exploits of Iyer and Kishan.

Kishan might be kicking himself at missing out on a century, with his previous highest score in ODIs having been a modest 59.

Iyer had one previous ODI century, a 103 that he scored against New Zealand in Hamilton in February 2020. In his last six ODIs, he now has one century, four 50-plus scores, and a 44.

Super Siraj

'Death' bowling can be a thankless task, but Siraj showed himself to be a classy finisher as the Proteas were left frustrated. His innings haul gave him his best bowling figures in ODIs, beaten only by his 3-29 against West Indies at Ahmedabad in February of this year.

Avesh Khan claimed outstanding figures of 4-18 as India eased to a victory even more comprehensive than Tuesday's 48-run win in Visakhapatnam.

India earlier lost Ruturaj Gaikwad (5), Shreyas Iyer (4) and Ishan Kishan (27) during the opening seven overs, but that was nothing compared to the tourists' spectacular collapse, as Rassie van der Dussen top scored for the Proteas with just 20 runs.

The hosts had been reduced to 40-3 after being put in by Temba Bavuma, but a stand of 65 between Hardik Pandya (46) and Dinesh Karthik (55) following Rishabh Pant's departure for 17 got them motoring.

Karthik's superb half-century helped carry India to a respectable 169-6, and he was only dismissed by Dwaine Pretorius midway through the final over before South Africa put in a dreadful performance with the bat.

Quinton de Kock (14) was the first to go, followed within three balls by Pretorius for a duck after captain Bavuma retired with an elbow injury.

Things only got more painful from there as Avesh ran riot, adding the scalps of Van der Dussen (20), Marco Jansen (12) and Keshav Maharaj (0) to that of Pretorius, while Yuzvendra Chahal (2-21) also made his mark as India kept their hopes of a stunning series turnaround alive.

Avesh wreaks havoc

Avesh capitalised on another fragile display with the bat and the momentum is firmly with Indiai.

If Tuesday's attempt at a chase had been poor – Heinrich Klaasen's 29 representing their best showing, Friday's was truly woeful, with only De Kock, Van der Dussen and Jansen reaching double figures during a chastening chase.

Pandya and Karthik step up

India had been wobbling early on, but Pandya and Karthik stepped up following top-order failures.

In particular, Karthik's 55 off 27 balls carried the hosts into the final over, and helped to leave the series delicately poised.

The previous record of 28 runs was obliterated as India grabbed 35 from Broad's shocking set of six, with Bumrah doing most of the damage.

The rout began with a top-edged hook to the boundary for four, before Broad's over descended into chaos as a high wide scurried off to the boundary to give India five free runs, and the next ball, a no-ball, was flung away for six.

Bumrah lashed each of the next three deliveries for four as India reached 28 from the first four permissible deliveries, before the India captain clattered Broad away for a second six of the over.

India had 34 with one ball remaining, and this time Broad sent down a yorker, with Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj scrambling a single.

The onslaught took India from 377-9 to 412-9 on the second morning of the match, with the tourists adding just four more in the next over before James Anderson had Siraj caught by the fed-up Broad.

This fifth Test at Edgbaston is a long-delayed series decider, having been postponed from last September, when it was due to be played at Old Trafford, due to COVID-19 concerns in the India camp.

Anderson and England colleague Joe Root were two of the three players who had previously conceded 28 runs from a Test over, to share the unwanted record with South Africa Robin Peterson.

Shami replaced the injured Jasprit Bumrah for the tournament Down Under and four wickets fell from the final four deliveries with defending champions Australia requiring 11 to win.

That was Shami's only over of the game at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, a match where Aaron Finch (76) found form but only three other Australia batsmen made double figures as they were bowled for 180 – losing six wickets for just nine runs from the final two overs.

Earlier, KL Rahul (57 off 33) and Suryakumar Yadav (50 off 33) had guided India to 186-7, a total that had looked under-par until Shami's heroics.

Shami steals the show

Shami was overlooked by India originally in favour of rising stars Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel but Bumrah's misfortune provided him an opportunity, and boy did he take it in a brilliant final over that had started with Pat Cummins taking a couple of twos, before the Australia paceman came unstuck by a scarcely believable one-handed catch by Virat Kohli on the boundary.

More great work by Kohli saw Ashton Agar run out when trying to sneak a bye, which preceded a couple of stunning Yorkers, uprooting the wickets of Josh Inglis and Kane Richardson, who had been the pick of Australia's bowlers with figures of 4-30.

Finch finds his wings again

Australia may have lost the unlosable but a massive takeaway for the hosts was captain Finch finding form on the eve of the World Cup.

Finch had managed only one half-century in his past 10 T20I knocks, and amassed just 25 runs across three innings in the series loss to England. The Australia skipper not only scored runs against India, but did so with a strike rate of 140.74.

Shreyas Iyer top scored with 64 off 40 balls and Deepak Hooda made 38 as India posted 188-7 in the final match of the series in Florida on Sunday, 

The Windies were skittled out for 100 in reply, with all 10 wickets falling to spinners for the first time in a T20I.

Bishnoi took 4-16, while Axar Patel (3-15) and Kuldeep Yadav (3-12) also capitalised on West Indies' batting frailties as Shimron Hetmyer (56) scored over half of their runs.

India were not fazed by losing Ishan Kishan early on, Iyer and Hooda putting on 76 for the second wicket to put them on course to an imposing total.

Iyer finally fell to Jason Holder after Hayden Walsh saw the back of Hooda, but captain Hardik Pandya made a brisk 28 before he was run out by Odean Smith.

Smith (3-33) claimed his third scalp by sending Axar (9) packing in the final over, but the Windies were soon in big trouble in the run chase.

Axar bowled Holder for a duck with the third ball of the innings before getting Shamarh Brooks (13) stumped and the tweaker also cleaned up Devon Thomas (10) in the fifth over.

Kuldeep stepped up to remove West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran, reducing the Windies to 50-4, before Bishnoi trapped Rovman Powell (9) and Keemo Paul (0) lbw with successive balls.

Hetmyer was running out of partners as the procession of wickets continued, with the left-hander falling to Bishnoi, who then finished off the job by getting Obed McCoy caught in the deep.

India put Windies in a spin

Bishnoi was outstanding as the Windies failed a trial by spin, with Axar and Kuldeep also tormenting Pooran's side.

The excellent Bishnoi took four wickets for the first time in the shortest format at international level, ending the series on a high note.

Iyer shows his class

With such competition for places in a T20 World Cup year, Iyer gave another exhibition of his class.

He struck two sixes and another eight boundaries, setting India on their way to a total that was far too many for the Windies.

The batter has been skippering the side in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma, but he suffered an injury on Wednesday, the eve of the match.

Speaking ahead of Thursday's first day, batting coach Vikram Rathour indicated the blow was not a major one, but did not confirm whether Rahul would be fit to start.

"It doesn't [look serious]," he said. "He seems to be fine. Hopefully he'll be okay. The doctors are looking at it, but hopefully he'll be okay."

Rahul's potential absence would be a major blow to India, who are looking to seal a Test sweep after a 2-1 defeat to their hosts in their ODI series earlier this month.

Aside from Rohit, who is out with a thumb injury, Jasprit Bumrah remains a long-term absentee with back trouble, while Navdeep Saini is also missing for the second game due to a muscular problem.

Interim vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara is the likely candidate to take over the leadership if Rahul is unable to recover in time, while Abhimanyu Easwaran could make his debut at the top of the order.

The Bengal batsman posted consecutive hundreds for India's A side, and was originally called up to the senior squad as Rohit's replacement.

Kohli is set to become just the 12th Indian to bring up 100 Test appearances for his country when Sri Lanka visit Mohali on Friday.

The 33-year-old could also become just the sixth Indian, and 32nd player overall, to achieve 8,000 runs in the longest format, as he sits just 38 away from the landmark heading into a two-Test series against Dimuth Karunaratne's tourists.

Kohli, who stepped down as India's red-ball captain in January before Rohit Sharma was appointed to lead in all three formats in February, has also averaged 50.4 across his first 99 outings.

Former Delhi batter Bisht, who played with Virat Kohli in the Ranji Trophy back in 2006, believes the feeling for Kohli on his 100th appearance will be unmatched.

"I think it's the greatest feeling for any Test cricketer," Bisht told Stats Perform ahead of Kohli's milestone. "You play 100 Tests for your country and for almost half of the test matches, you're captaining your country.

"So that's a very big achievement and to dominate the 100 Tests - it's not like he just played [well] domestically, he dominates all over the world. It's like anywhere, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa."

Indeed, Kohli has headed the Indian batting ranks for most of the recent past, having made his Test debut against the West Indies in June 2011.

Since then, he has been the highest scorer in 16 of the 99 red-ball internationals he has played, a record only bettered by Joe Root (21), who has profited from playing more matches in that period.

However, Kohli has endured a lean spell of scoring form over the last two years, failing to record a century since November 2019, his 27th international ton against Bangladesh.

But Bisht expressed his confidence that his former batting partner will soon return to making runs.

"I mean it's only just the matter of [getting] another 100," he responded when asked about Kohli's limited returns. "But he keeps coming, if you see the stats from in the last year, he's scoring runs in white-ball cricket. 

"I mean I can't say he's out of form you see his last 10 or 12 one-day innings, almost five or six 50s there. 

"So, I don't think so there is an issue. It's just a matter of one good 100, I'm sure."

Kohli also sits sixth in the list of India's all-time Test run-scorers, with Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him.

But Bisht refused to be drawn on comparisons between the current Indian star and greats of previous eras.

When asked where Kohli ranks, Bisht added: "It’s a very debatable thing and all the eras are different. You can't compare the other greats with Virat Kohli. 

"They all have different responsibilities in terms of team-wise and in terms of player-wise. So, it's tough to say who's best."

Kohli will be under the stewardship of Sharma against Sri Lanka, and Bisht wants to wait and see whether the captaincy decision proves to be the right one.

"Let's see, I don't know right now. Who would have thought [that Kohli would step down]?" he continued. 

"Has anyone told him to step down or is that 100 per cent his decision? But as long as he's playing cricket and keeps enjoying his game, the main thing you want is Virat Kohli in the middle.

"That's the most important thing and if he plays with the same passion and the same intensity I don't think anyone in India has any issues."

Kohli, who had endured some indifferent form throughout the T20 World Cup, saved his best for last as he plundered 76 in India's seven-run win over the Proteas on Saturday.

Kohli has played 125 T20Is and is India's second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 4,188 to his name. Only Rohit (4,231 runs in 159 matches) can boast a higher total.

And the duo both confirmed after the match that they would be bowing out of the format.

"This was my last T20 World Cup and this is exactly what we wanted to achieve," Kohli said.

"This is an amazing game, I was telling Rohit today when we went out to bat that one day you feel like you can't get a run, and then you come out and things happen. God is great. I bow my head in gratitude.

"I'm really grateful I was able to get the job done for the team when it mattered the most.

"This is my last T20 game playing for India, my last World Cup I was going to play. I wanted to make the most of it. And this was our aim. We wanted to win an ICC tournament, we wanted to lift the cup. 

"This was an open secret, it was not something that I was not going to announce if we'd lost. This was going to be my last T20 World Cup playing for India, it's time for the next generation to take over.

"Two-year cycle, there are some amazing players playing in India, they're going to take the team forward in the T20 format, and do wonders as we've seen them do in the IPL. I've no doubts they'll keep the flag waving high, and really take this team further from here now."

Rohit, who was part of the India squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2007, followed up Kohli's announcement with his own retirement confirmation.

"This was my last [T20I] game as well," Rohit said.

"No better time to say goodbye to this format. I've loved every moment of this. I started my India career playing this format. This is what I wanted, I wanted to win the cup.

"I wanted this badly. Very hard to put in words. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was very desperate for this title in my life. Happy that we eventually crossed the line."

Gambhir replaces Rahul Dravid, whose three-year tenure in the role ended on a high when he led India to their first T20 World Cup win since 2007 last month.

A a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is, later this month, will start the Gambhir era.

His former India team-mate VVS Laxman, the director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, is leading the team on an interim basis in their current T20I series in Zimbabwe. That five-match series is tied at 1-1, with the third contest taking place in Harare on Wednesday.

"India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life," Gambhir said on X. 

"I'm honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. 

"The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true!"

He added in an official statement: "I am honoured and excited to take on the role of head coach for India.

"I have always taken pride while donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role.

"Cricket has been my passion and I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, head of cricket - Mr VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments."

Former opener Gambhir played in 58 Tests, 147 ODIs and 37 T20Is for India from 2003 to 2016 – helping them to win the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2011.

The 42-year-old captained Kolkata Knight Riders to two Indian Premier League titles as a player before coaching them to a third crown this season.

Expectations will be high after India's recent success in all three formats and he also takes the helm at a time of significant change within the playing squad.

Veterans Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20I cricket after the recent tournament victory, while there is speculation over how long R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami will continue to play in other formats.

"His appointment as head coach marks a new chapter for Indian cricket," said Binny.

"His experience, dedication, and vision for the game make him the ideal candidate to guide our team forward. We are confident that under his leadership, Team India will continue to excel and make the nation proud."

Gambhir will lead the team across all formats for three-and-a-half years until December 2027.

Three days after losing to Australia by eight wickets in the T20 World Cup final, the Black Caps went down in the first match of the three-game series.

With captain Kane Williamson missing the T20 series to prepare for the Tests, Tim Southee stepped up to lead New Zealand, though it was his counterpart Rohit – taking charge of India in the shortest format for this series after Virat Kohli stepped down – who came out on top.

It went down to the wire, with Martin Guptill (70 from 42 balls) and Mark Chapman (63 off 50), who hit his first T20 half-century for the Black Caps, leading New Zealand to 164-6, with Ravichandran Ashwin taking 2-23 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-24.

Rohit's brilliant 48 and an outstanding 62 off 40 balls from Suryakumar Yadav put India into a strong position in the chase, and with five overs remaining the result looked to be sewn up.

Yet Suryakumar's dismissal at the hands of Trent Boult saw some nerves set in for India, with Shreyas Iyer (five) and debutant Venkatesh Iyer (four) falling in a cagey finish.

Ultimately, Rohit and new coach Rahul Dravid got the win they craved with just two balls to spare when Rishabh Pant (17 not out) sliced a shot over mid-off and to the boundary.

Rohit up and running

Replacing Kohli as skipper is not an easy task, but Rohit showed his usual proficiency with the bat as he knocked off 48 from 36 deliveries, including five boundaries and two sixes.

What might have been for Boult

Boult had figures of 2-31, with 21 of those runs coming from his second over. To further compound his frustration, the paceman dropped Suryakumar on 61, not only failing to take what should have been a relatively simple catch, but also seeing the ball go to the boundary to boot.

He did at least end Suryakumar's stint at the crease in the next over, though those runs proved costly.

It was only the fourth time in ODI history South Africa have been skittled for fewer than 100 runs, and the first time it has happened to them against India.

The hosts' spinners took centre-stage in Delhi, with Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Kuldeep Yadav tearing through South Africa in brutal fashion.

India then made light work of their chase, reaching 105-3 to wrap up a commendable series win.

South Africa never managed to find much momentum. Quinton de Kock (six) was quickly dismissed by Sundar (2-15), and although Janneman Malan (15) held out a little longer, Mohammed Siraj (2-17) soon toppled him.

Heinrich Klaasen (34) offered some resistance, but South Africa were already heading for a hiding when he was removed by Ahmed (2-32), as Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller and Andile Phehlukwayo all failed to reach double digits.

The latter fell to Yadav, who took four of South Africa's last five wickets to post figures of 4-18, with India heading into bat with great confidence.

A miraculous turnaround never looked likely, with Shubman Gill (49) looking sharp before unfortunately getting halted leg before his half-century by Lungi Ngidi.

Nevertheless, Shreyas Iyer (28) got India over the line with 185 balls remaining, finishing with a flourish as he hit Marco Jansen (0-43) for six.

Just keep spinning

The pitch was considered an inviting one for seamers, but it proved to be India's spinners who did the damage.

Siraj, Sundar and Yadav took eight between them, though the latter was undoubtedly the standout as he ripped through South Africa with little fuss, taking four wickets in total.

Unsurprisingly, he was named Player of the Match.

Gill unfortunate

It would have been a deserved 50 for Gill if he had just hung on a little longer. Ultimately dismissed for 49, his total included eight fours as he generally fended off the South Africa attack impressively.

It would have been easy for India to go into bat with a bit of complacency given South Africa's dire total, but there was no sign of that from Gill.

Australia were all out for 469 in their first innings, Steve Smith following in the footsteps of first day centurion Travis Head to post 121, and then snapped up key wickets to establish a dominant position.

Each of their seam quartet struck as India lurched to 71 for four in the 19th over, before spinner Nathan Lyon joined the party and ended a battling fifth-wicket stand.

Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja doubled the score before the latter nicked Lyon to slip for 48. By stumps India were 318 behind on 151 for five, with plenty of work to do retain a realistic chance of succeeding New Zealand as red-ball world champions.

Australia arrived in the morning already boasting a healthy position on 327 for three. At that stage, they were surely hoping to clear 500, but India landed a few handy blows of their own as they took the last seven wickets for 108.

With 10 overs before lunch to work their magic, the Australian seamers made short work of the India openers. Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.

Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly judged leave. Boland filled his boots against England Down Under in 2021/22, taking a remarkable six for seven on debut at the MCG, and he made a compelling case for holding his spot at Edgbaston next week with 11 high-quality overs with the Dukes ball.

India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps, but their struggles continued after the break.

Cheteshwar Pujara belied his years of experience in English climes by aping Gill’s error, shaping to leave all-rounder Cameron Green and paying with the off stump.

Kohli’s exit left India in strife but he was at least guilty only of receiving a brutish delivery from Mitchell Starc.

The left-armer was expensive, shipping 52 from nine overs, but showed off his ability to deliver big moments when he got one to explode off a length at Kohli and rap the thumb of his bottom hand as it sprayed to slip.

India’s position left a lot to be desired but, with Australians sensing blood, Rahane’s perseverance and Jadeja’s counter-attacking nature served them well.

They put on 71 together, parted only when Lyon offered a change of pace. He forced Jadeja into an unusually defence stroke and clipped the outside edge to break the stand.

Smith had earlier brought up his 31st Test century, his seventh in England and his third at the Oval. Resuming on 95, he dispatched his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary to reach three figures with minimal fuss.

India made regular inroads to keep the game moving forwards, Head departing for a classy 163 as Siraj got him brushing to the keeper with a bumper aimed at the ribs and Smith ending a five-and-a-half hour stay with an uncharacteristically loose prod that canoned into his stumps.

The hosts were dismissed for 231 in their second innings on day three at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, setting India a target of 145.

A devastating spell from Mehidy Hasan (3-12) gave Bangladesh hope of levelling the series, reducing India to 45-4 at the close.

Bangladesh began the day on 7-0 but struggled early as Najmul Hossain Shanto (5) and Mominul Haque (5) fell to Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj respectively.

When captain Shakib Al Hasan was out to Jaydev Unadkat, Bangladesh were in trouble at 51-3, though Zakir Hasan followed up his debut Test hundred in Chattogram with another half-century, before getting out for 51.

After Zakir and Mehidy (0) had gone, Bangladesh were struggling on 113-6, though Litton Das (73) produced much-needed partnerships with Nurul Hasan (31) and Taskin Ahmed (31 not out) to make India's eventual chase more challenging.

There was an early wobble for the tourists as stand-in skipper KL Rahul (2) edged Shakib to Nurul at the start of the third over, before the wicketkeeper also stumped Cheteshwar Pujara (6) off the bowling of Mehidy.

The same duo combined to dismiss Shubman Gill (7) before Virat Kohli was Mehidy's next victim, out for just one from 22 balls after his inside edge was caught by Mominul at short leg, leaving Axar Patel (26no) and Unadkat (3no) to return on what promises to be a gripping day four.

Mehidy puts India in a spin

Having only taken 1-61 in the first innings, Mehidy came into his own in the second as he dragged his team back into the contest.

The 25-year-old claimed three big wickets to give the Tigers a fighting chance of pulling off a victory.

Axar also finds his rhythm

It was a good day for spin, with Axar also taking three wickets for India, having not managed any in the first innings.

Axar trapped both Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy lbw, before claiming a stumping when he outfoxed Nurul to end with figures of 3-68.