India tour of South Africa, 2006/07 news from Cricinfo.com

Indian board not convinced about Munaf

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Munaf Patel has far more serious concerns than a sore ankle with the BCCI openly questioning his integrity

'I can smell blood' - Nel to Sreesanth

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Sreesanth revealed the story behind the famous impromptu dance after he had hit Andre Nel for a six during the first Test in Johannesburg

Batting failures left India stranded

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The batting was the reason India finished on the runner-up's podium. They asked all the right questions with the ball but the batting never really came together as a unit, writes Allan Donald

'We never gave up' - Smith

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

A jubilant Graeme Smith spoke to the media after a magnificent series win

'There will be a few guys under pressure' - Chappell

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Greg Chappell, the coach, was candid in his assessment of the gains and losses after yet another Indian campaign overseas ended with the bitter taste of defeat

Heart and the hard yards

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Most of all, this was Smith's victory. When his team needed to be shown the way, he was the first one out of the trenches

South Africa seal series victory

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Having received a shellacking at the Wanderers, the home side fought back gallantly to become only the second South African side, and eighth in Test history, to win a three-Test series after going 1-0 down

Ganguly: 156 more won't be easy

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Sourav Ganguly has said India have a chance to win the third Test and clinch the series against South Africa because it won't be easy for them to achieve the target on the final day of the match

India dig their own grave

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

A disciplined and committed effort in the field gave South Africa every chance of winning this series

Out of sight, out of time

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The sudden loss of two wickets on the fourth morning left India in an embarrassing position

South Africa have the edge in poised encounter

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India will blame themselves for turning a potentially matchwinning position to one of catch-up.

Vintage Test cricket

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

In these days of turbo-charged run rates, this was a throwback to another era, Test cricket's attritional age

Dravid - 'We've got our noses in front'

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Rahul Dravid spoke to the media after an engrossing day's play and said India had the advantage with two days to play

'They have their noses slightly ahead' - Smith

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Graeme Smith spoke to the media after an engrossing day's play

India manage hard-fought lead

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The series-deciding Test entered an engrossing phase on the third day at Newlands, as South Africa refused to surrender and kept India's lead down to 41

'Any lead we can get will be fantastic' - Pollock

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Shaun Pollock was delighted by the manner in which South Africa fought back on the second day at Newlands, but he wasn't about to take anything for granted with his side still 270 adrift on first innings

'We've been brought up not to play selfish cricket' - Karthik

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Dinesh Karthik played his part behind the stumps, and will certainly have a bigger role to play once Anil Kumble settles in on a pitch that already has significant rough patches

Lacking the killer instinct

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

At 395 for 5, India had South Africa on the ropes, but with the knockout punch set up, they slipped and fell flat on their faces

Smith and Amla post confident riposte

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

There were allround contributions from the Indians, while Graeme Smith led from the front and was ably supported by Hashim Amla as South Africa reached 144 at stumps losing just one wicket.

'Our mindset is to win' - Arthur

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Mickey Arthur, South Africa's coach, expressed his disappointment at the Newlands pitch, but insisted that his side would go all out for the win that will clinch the series

'I am happy to bat with anyone as my partner' - Jaffer

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

At the end of the day's play Wasim Jaffer spoke to the media about his splendid vibes with Dinesh Karthik, his surprising opening partner, and how he was determined not to repeat the mistakes from Durban

The opening gambit and inspiring precedents

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik did that with a partnership that grew ever more easy on the eye as the game went on

Jaffer's hundred puts India in control

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India dominated the first day of the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town, as Wasim Jaffer made a fluent 116.

You have to take responsibility - Prince

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Ashwell Prince has been South Africa's batting star in the first two Tests against India, scoring 97 in a lost cause at the Wanderers before coming up with a matchwinning 121 at Kingsmead

Cape Town debut is Harris's dream come true

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The thought of stepping out onto the turf at a venue where he spent his formative years filled Paul Harris with excitement. Harris will make his debut in the third Test against India at Cape Town

'We've dominated the Indians through the summer' - Smith

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Two days on from an ultimately emphatic victory in Durban, Graeme Smith was confident that his South African side held the edge going into the decisive third Test at Newlands

Dravid confident of strong showing

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Rahul Dravid was confident that India could come back strongly after having gone down by 174 runs at Kingsmead to leave the series all square

Both teams in selection quandary

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

If India are to win this series, they'll have to do it the hard way. South Africa have won ten Tests and drawn three at Cape Town. The three losses can be discounted, having come against mighty Australia

Sehwag has to be benched

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Nobody knows it better than the top five Indian batsmen that they have let down their side badly. The management would surely show more guts in putting Sehwag on the bench for Cape Town

Sehwag unlikely for series decider

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

South Africa's greater desperation prevailed on a tense weather-interrupted final day, leaving the series beautifully poised going into the final Test at Cape Town

Vengsarkar worried about openers' form

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Disappointed with the collapse of the Indian top order on the fifth day of the Durban Test, Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors, has expressed concern over the form of India's openers - Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer

'Ntini's spell proved decisive' - Dravid

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Rahul Dravid isn't the sort of man prone to giving his team a spray of abuse in the dressing-room, but he could have been forgiven that at Kingsmead

'Every guy put his hand up' - Smith

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

South Africa's victory wasn't about one man but a fantastic performance from the entire unit, felt Smith

Flattering to deceive

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

To a catalogue of shame that reads Jamaica 2002, Bangalore 2005 and Mumbai 2006, you can now add the Kingsmead game. Expecting India to bat out time to save a game has now become as much an exercise in futility as asking a wino to stay away from the bottl

Ntini propels SA to series-levelling win

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India were shot out for 179 in just over 55 overs to give South Africa victory by 174 runs.

'Can we survive? Why not?' - Dhoni

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's injured finger could hamper him while batting but he was still confident about saving the second Test and did not rule out the possibility of a victory

'They will probably go on the defensive' - Boucher

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Mark Boucher was confident that his team had the bowling arsenal to dismiss India inside two sessions on Saturday

All about brave cricket

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

With 70 overs of play still possible, South Africa will be confident of heading to Cape Town with the series all square.

Shepherd calls on ICC to appoint more umpires

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Former Test umpire David Shepherd has warned that leading umpires face burn-out unless the ICC tackles the issue and appoints more officials to its elite panel

SA well placed for victory push

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Bad light halted play for a fourth successive day at Durban, with India struggling at 34 for 2 chasing an imposing 354

'Sometimes the umpires have to make a call' - Howell

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Ian Howell, the replacement umpire deputising for the ill Mark Benson explains the controversial bad light decision

Benson under observation after heart palpitations

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Mark Benson, the on-field umpire for the ongoing India-South Africa Test at Durban, left the field 20 minutes into the third day's play after suffering heart palpitations

Arthur fumes over delays

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

South Africa's coach Mickey Arthur was left fuming after the multitude of delays on the third day

Resting on laurels: The familiar Indian story

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India need to introspect, especially when it comes to another dreadfully disappointing batting performance away from home

Smith and de Villiers extend lead

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

South Africa enjoyed the best of yet another truncated day as they ended the third day with a lead of 152

Ishant won't be going to South Africa

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

As of noon on Wednesday Ishant Sharma, the Delhi mediumpacer, knew that he was to join the Indian team in Cape Town for a week. That decision now seems to have been changed - the player himself being told of the no-go - for reasons that are not yet clear

'You have to give credit to India' - Prince

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Ashwell Prince was up bright and early on Wednesday morning, and he said that the Ashes tussle at the MCG had played its part in inspiring a spirited South African tail-wag on day two

'I'm happy to keep working on the basics' - Sreesanth

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Sreesanth was his colourful self at the press conference on Wednesday evening, offering up candid answers on his development as a cricketer and the state of the match

Back from the dead

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Having arrived at the ground in the morning ready to bury the last vestiges of South African resistance, the Indians found the corpse alive and kicking

Tendulkar keeps South Africa at bay

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Bad light brought an early stoppage to play, and only 30 minutes of play were possible after the tea break. India added ten runs to their tea total, finishing the day on 103 for 3 as more than 30 overs of play were lost

Ishant Sharma likely to join squad in SA

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Ishant Sharma, the 18-year-old Delhi medium pacer, will join the Indian squad in South Africa ahead of the final Test at Cape Town

'We had a good day, bowled really well' - Dravid

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Rahul Dravid and Herschelle Gibbs spoke to the media at the end of a gruelling first day with the match interestingly poised

A blue-collar Prince

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

For someone derided by many as a quota selection when he made his debut nearly five years ago, Ashwell Prince has come a long way on a road that has been anything but straight and smooth

Prince denies India full honours

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India's pacemen did the damage first up, and Anil Kumble quickly dispensed with the tail as South Africa got relief from their travails when bad light stopped play with the score on 257 for 8.

I pray Smith scores - Arthur

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Mickey Arthur, South Africa's coach, said the repeated failures of his top order batsmen was putting pressure on the rest of the players and it was time that they started firing again

'We've got confidence in our opening pair' - Dravid

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Having announced the 12 for the game, Rahul Dravid spoke at length on keeping faith in the opening combination and the decision to send Irfan Pathan back home

Pathan sent back home

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Irfan Pathan, who wasn't expected to play any part in the Test series, will be heading back to India later this week in order to play two Ranji Trophy matches in a bid to regain some semblance of bowling form

Cracking contest on the cards at Kingsmead

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The conditions are unlikely to be favourable. Overcast conditions are predicted for the opening day, and likely to continue through the duration of the game

'It's a huge Test match for us' - Pollock

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Shaun Pollock admitted that South Africa would need to lift their game by at least "20 to 30 percent" if they were to revive their fortunes in the three-Test series against India

Jaffer may get one more chance

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Wasim Jaffer, who has just 30 runs from eight innings on this tour, may yet get a final chance, with the powers that be tacitly admitting that they made a mistake by bringing him out for the one-day leg of the tour.

South Africa have their work cut out for must-win game

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Graeme Smith has a huge task on his hands to restore morale ahead of what has become a must-win game

Kallis's hot streak

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Cricinfo looks at some of the stats highlights of Durban, the venue for the second Test between South Africa and India

Munaf stands out in drawn encounter

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Munaf Patel picked up two wickets on his return from an ankle injury, but the Indian bowlers were made to toil on a hot and humid day at the Northwood Crusaders Ground as their two-day match against a Kwazulu-Natal Invitation XI ended in a draw

Gambhir fifty powers Indians

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

A brisk half-century from Gautam Gambhir was the highlight as the Indians got in some batting practice against a Kwazulu-Natal Invitation XI on the first day of their warm-up match at the Crusaders Ground

Munaf's chance to stake a claim

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

After rains over the past few days, a few wet patches on the outfield delayed the start, which was moved back to 11am

Munaf's chance to stake a claim

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The Indians will head to the Crusaders Ground in Durban on Friday for a two-day warm-up that was primarily engineered to take a look at Munaf Patel's fitness

India look to erase bad Durban memories

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Luckily for India, South Africa have plenty of problems of their own. Dale Steyn limped out at the Wanderers, and is doubtful for this game

'Potch was the turning point' - Chappell

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Greg Chappell says team seniors coming together at Potch turned things around

Sreesanth found guilty of breaching ICC Code

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Sreesanth has been fined 30% of his match fee after he pleaded guilty to breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the first Test against South Africa at Johannesburg

India secure historic win

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 14:11:03 GMT

India stormed to one of their most memorable wins of all time amid historic scenes at the Wanderers, wrapping up a comprehensive 123-run victory on the fourth day of the first Test

'They played better than us' - Smith

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Graeme Smith spoke to the media after India's triumph at the Wanderers

'We showed fight, character' - Dravid

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Dravid praises all-round team performance, says they will be ready for SA backlash

Kallis meets Majola to explain anthem issue

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Following a report in South Africa's Sunday Times over South Africa vice captain Jacques Kallis's alleged refusal to sing the national anthem, Gerald Majola, Cricket South Africa's CEO, met the player today to discuss the issue.

Did Ganguly really bounce Kallis?

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The Test was packed with incidents that were both great cricket and high drama

Paul Harris added to South African Test squad

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

South Africa have selected left-arm spinner Paul Harris in their squad for the remaining two Tests against India

Burning the form book

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India's triumph at the Wanderers was worthy enough to rank alongside their most famous wins, writes Dileep Premachandran

How the Wanderers was won

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Three cricketers who've been there, done that, analyse the factors in India's win

Prince stands between India and famous win

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:42:17 GMT

Yet another fine exhibition of seam bowling from Sreesanth led India's relentless march towards their first Test win in South Africa as they ended the day requiring another five wickets

Kallis in trouble over anthem snub

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Jacques Kallis, very much the cornerstone of South Africa's Test side, is embroiled in a controversy over his refusal to sing the national anthem

The hard work finally pays

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

After the one-day debacle, both players and coaching staff have worked like Trojans to put things right

'With the right team, you are always going to get results'

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Sourav Ganguly thanked his team-mates for the "outstanding" support that had facilitated his return to the side after nearly a year away

Sreesanth inspires South Africa's annihilation

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:42:17 GMT

A sensational spell of seam bowling from Sreesanth instigated a rampage like few others seen in India's cricket history, shooting South Africa out for 84, their lowest total since readmission to the international scene

The talk with Donald helped - Sreesanth

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

After a potentially match-winning spell of 5 for 40 on Saturday, Sreesanth spoke to the media about how a chat with Allan Donald in the morning had helped him

'India showed us the right lengths to bowl' - Arthur

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Mickey Arthur, who has asked for "fast and bouncy" pitches in the build-up to this Test series, admitted that South Africa had been comprehensively outplayed so far at the Wanderers

The emperor's new clothes

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

It won't have escaped Mickey Arthur's notice that the Indians used the new ball far better than South Africa did, pitching it fuller and hitting the seam consistently enough on a pitch that demanded it

Pace battery pegs India back

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:42:17 GMT

A pair of wickets for Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis handed South Africa a slight advantage on a curtailed, yet absorbing, opening day at the Wanderers in Johannseburg

India's top order exposed again

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Cricinfo looks at the stats highlights from the first day's play at Johannesburg

'It wasn't easy to bat at all' - Chappell

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Greg Chappell and Jacques Kallis spoke to the media at the end of the day's play

Not quite the expected horror story

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India will find the close-of-play score especially galling given how poorly South Africa bowled for vast stretches of the day

'We'll be looking for some big performances' - Smith

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Graeme Smith spoke to the media ahead of the first Test at Johannesburg

'It's dangerous to write us off' - Dravid

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Few people give them a chance against a side that have lost only 13 of 72 home Tests since readmission but India remain quietly confident that they can spring a surprise when the series gets underway

Head to head

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Cricinfo takes a look at some of the key contests that might well decide the fate of the three-match series.

India face trial by pace

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

India have never won a Test in nine attempts on South African soil, but if there's one venue that's been relatively kind to them, and where they can repose some hope, it's the Wanderers

'Time to forget the one-day series' - Kumble

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Anil Kumble has happy memories of the Wanderers, and he urged his team-mates to be positive in the build-up to the first Test which starts on Friday

'We won't tamper with the openers' - Vengsarkar

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Now the chairman of the selection committee, Dilip Vengsarkar said that he would share his inputs with the team management, but insisted that he was not in South Africa on some sort of coercive mission

Laxman heaps praise on bowlers

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

VVS Laxman was delighted with the efforts of his pace bowlers, who set up the 96-run victory over Rest of South Africa

Zaheer spearheads Indian win

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

Zaheer Khan once again led the way with the ball as the Indians wrapped up a comprehensive 96-run victory over Rest of South Africa in the tour game at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom

India need top-order answers

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

On a pitch that rewards accurate and intelligent pace bowling, the Indians should still go on and win this match. But success won't be able to deflect attention from the continued inability of the top-order batsmen to put decent scores on the board

India edge ahead on bowlers' day

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

The Indian batsmen suffered another collective meltdown that took the sheen off a superb bowling performance on the second day of the tour game against Rest of South Africa at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom

Harbhajan positive after fightback

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT

On a day when Sourav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan saved Indian blushes, it was Harbhajan Singh - whose cavalier 47 in the final session exasperated the bowlers - that came to address the media