Page 25 - South Africa Cricket Team

Proteas wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen announces Test retirement

South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from red-ball cricket, bringing curtains to his brief stint in the format. Having made his debut against India in Ranchi in 2019, the 32-year-old played four matches in his brief Test career with his final outing against the West Indies in Johannesburg last year. He has scored 104 runs at an average of 13.00, while his top score was 35 against Australia in Sydney. Klaassen will continue to be available for the Proteas in white-ball cricket. "After a few sleepless nights wondering if I am making the right decision, I have decided to retire from red ball cricket," he said in a statement. "It's a difficult decision that I have made because it is by far my favourite format of the game." "The battles that I faced on and off the field has made me the cricketer I am today. "It has been a great journey and I am glad I could have represented my country. "My baggy Test cap is the most precious cap I have ever

SA20 for just four weeks and you can still play Test cricket: Graeme Smith

The SA20 has a window of just four weeks and South African Test cricket can not only co-exist but also flourish for the rest of the year, former skipper Graeme Smith said on Sunday. Cricket South Africa (CSA) is sending a second-string Test team under uncapped Neil Brand to New Zealand as the tour coincides with the second season of SA20, in which all six franchises are run by IPL team owners. Can SA20 and South Africa's Test team co-exist? "SA 20 is four weeks a year which we operate on and obviously one or two challenges happen and that's not ideal, that should get better and better every season," Smith, the commissioner of SA20 league, told PTI in an exclusive interaction. The CSA has a 51 percent share in the league and the broadcast money is important for its financial health. "South African cricket has made commitment that SA20 is a big part of its future and gives it a best chance to succeed. I believe it's just four weeks a year and there would be lot of chance to play Tes

You have to blame T20s: De Villiers on India-SA series featuring two Tests

On the Proteas' selection for the New Zealand tour, which coincides with the second season of SA20 from January 10 to February 10, the former batter said that Test cricket is under pressure

In South Africa, fuller length doesn't work: Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar

He should have played ahead of Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna in the Test series opener against South Africa but when Mukesh Kumar finally got his chance at Newlands, the Indian team realised what exactly it missed during the mauling in Centurion. While the seasoned duo of Mohammed Siraj (7 wickets) and Jasprit Bumrah (8 wickets) did the bulk of the damage, Mukesh was the ideal third seamer with four wickets in the second Test, which included two top-order dismissals in the second innings. He was bowling slightly back of length but was still able to move the ball late. "I think I have been able to fulfil the role assigned by the team management. I am satisfied with my bowling and best part is that I have worked hard and tried my best," Mukesh told reporters about his performance during India's series-levelling win. A smart operator, Mukesh had quickly realised that despite being comparatively lesser in terms of pace generated by the two senior speedsters, he can't bowl too full

Change of plan and attitude helped India conquer Cape Town: KL Rahul

KL Rahul scored a century in the first Test but was not able to contribute much with the bat in the second where India won by seven wickets to level the series

IND vs SA- Sad when more luck is needed than skill: Proteas head coach

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad Thursday termed the Newlands surface on which the shortest Test match in the history of the game was played as "not great" and where sheer luck trumped pure skill. India beat South Africa by seven wickets in a match that was played for just 106.2 overs and ended in a day and a little over one session. "I don't know what people want me to say. You only need to look at the scores. 1.5-day Test match! You need to look at how they chased 80 (79). Sad state when you need more luck than skill. All the ethics and values of Test cricket goes out the window," Conrad, a former Western Province cricketer, lashed out after the series ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Since he has been a Western Province coach and the proverbial insider, he was asked about the surface where balls were just flying from length. "I don't know what's going on here. I have moved on. Not in a position to know the goings on between the walls here. Everybody knows the wicket wasn't great,"

You don't get to see a player like that: Rohit Sharma lauds Dean Elgar

Rohit sang praises of Elgar and said, "Such an important player for South Africa, what he's done throughout his career for South Africa, only a few have done that. Very gritty"

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Rohit Sharma proud of challenging win at Cape Town

Rohit Sharma's countenance reflected his pain at India's failure to win a Test series in South Africa and breach the team's 'final frontier' but the skipper said on Thursday they "would take pride" from their seven-wicket victory in the second Test here. Coming off an innings and 32-run mauling in the series-opener in Centurion, India fought back strongly to emerge victorious here inside five sessions and share the spoils in the two-match rubber. "When you come to this part of the world, it's always difficult but we take pride in our performance outside of India. South Africa always challenge us and for us to come out here and win, we can take pride in this performance," Rohit said at the post-match presentation. "We would have loved to win the series. We came back very well, especially our bowlers. Had some plans and the boys got rewarded. "We knew that it's going to be a short game, we knew ever run matters, to get that first-innings lead was very important." Asked about the ...

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Shut your mouth about Indian pitches, says Rohit Sharma

The Newlands wicket in Cape Town saw the match end in 642 deliveries, making it the shortest-ever Test match in the history of cricket

IND vs SA 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: Bumrah, Siraj help India level series

India vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: It was the pairing of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball who bowled Proteas out twice with their five-wicket hauls and helped India win

India vs South Africa 2nd Test proves shortest long-format match in history

This was the shortest match played in the history of Test cricket. Previously, it was the Australia vs South Africa match in 1932, in which only 656 balls were bowled to decide the winner.

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Sunil Gavaskar slams SENA media over Cape Town wicket

There is a tendency amongst the SENA country's media that if you can't play on fast, bouncy pitches, you're not a batter, says India legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Bumrah breaks Proteas' back with five-wicket haul

Jasprit Bumrah completed his ninth five-wicket haul with four wickets in the first session on Day 2 of India vs South Africa second Test.

Construction activity led to 23 wkts on Day 1? Bizzare theory by SA coach

In the press conference after the first day's play, Prince said that a lot of construction work adjacent to Newlands might have also affected the Cape Town pitch's character.

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Gavaskar surprised over Proteas decision to bat first

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday expressed surprise at South African skipper Dean Elgar's decision to bat first in the second Test against India. Elgar's decision backfired as South Africa were bundled out for 55, their lowest total against India. India were on course for a big lead until losing their last six wickets for no run to be all out for 153, limiting their first innings advantage to 98 runs. "Well, I tell you what, I was a bit surprised by what happened," Gavaskar said in his match analysis on Star Sports. "Because a lot of times, captains and coaches make a big deal about what the pitch is gonna be..." Having annihilated India inside three days in the opening Test, South Africa had the perfect opportunity to take the upper hand by inserting them in on a fresh pitch, Gavaskar opined. "I think you've also got to look at the psychology of the Indian team, having been defeated in three days, having batted so poorly in the second innings and going to be batting fir

IND vs SA 2nd Test: India join Pakistan, create unwanted record in Newlands

India joined Pakistan as the team with the most ducks in an innings in a Test match

India vs South Africa: When 23 wickets fell in a single day of a Test match

India lost their last six wickets for 0 runs at Newlands Stadium in Capetown against South Africa on January 3, 2023

IND vs SA 2nd Test: Proteas register their lowest Test score; Siraj takes 6

Mohammed Siraj registered his third five-wicket haul and his best figures in Tests after getting six South African wickets at Newlands in the New Year's Test

IND vs SA 2nd Test, Day 1 Highlights: 23 wickets fall as India lead by 36

India vs South Africa 2nd Test, Day 1 LIVE SCORE Updates: It was a bowler's day out on Newlands as 23 wickets fell, joint-most on a single day in South Africa. At 62/3, Proteas trailed by 36

India vs South Africa 2nd Test Playing 11: Two changes in India's XI

IND vs SA Playing 11: Ravindra Jadeja has replaced R Ashwin while Shardul Thakur paves the way for Mukesh Kumar. Disney+Hotstar will provide the live streaming of the match in India