The third Test may have started with the bad aftertaste of a ball-tampering row but it only steeled the man at the centre of it all,

Australia skipper has lost his past six coin tosses in Test matches after Proteas leader Faf du Plessis called correctly at the Adelaide Oval.

New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor is aware that another cheap dismissal in the second Test against Pakistan could give rise to questions about his eye condition and whether it has affected his performance.

Skipper Faf du Plessis put his ball tampering controversy behind him to defy Australia's bowlers with a steely century to put South Africa in early control of the day-night third Test in Adelaide today.

New Zealand suffered a blow on the eve of the second Test against Pakistan when bowling spearhead Trent Boult was ruled out on Thursday with a knee injury.

Around the same time that the ICC heard the Faf du Plessis case, there emerged on social media footage of Virat Kohli and David Warner with suggestions that they might have introduced artificial substances to shine the ball.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting says he would consider the role of chairman of selectors if offered the job and is also open to discussions on a coaching position with the team.

India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha is ruled out of the third Test against England, prompting the selectors to recall Parthiv Patel after eight years in the wilderness.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis insisted he wasn't a cheat and warned cricket authorities had opened a "can of worms" on Wednesday after he was found guilty of ball-tampering in controversial circumstances.

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball-tampering on Tuesday but cleared to play in this week's third Test against Australia, who are fighting to avoid their first ever home Test series whitewash.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been banned for one Test and his team fined for their slow over rate during the first match against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Skipper Alastair Cook expresses confidence that England can bounce back in the series against India despite the crushing loss in the second Test but says winning the toss would be key.

A call for "patience" from Australia selectors for the radically changed squad that emerged from the Hobart wreckage struck a discordant note for some former players after Callum Ferguson and Joe Mennie were barely given a chance to impress.

India spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Jayant Yadav claimed three wickets apiece in the second innings to lead the hosts to a comfortable 246-run win in the second Test against England on Monday and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner has been included in New Zealand's squad for the second and final Test against Pakistan after making a quick recovery from a broken wrist.

Australia are facing mounting calls from former greats for a drastic overhaul of how cricket is run as they stare down the barrel of a first-ever home Test series whitewash.

A security official travelling with the South African team shoved an Australian television reporter against a glass door in ugly scenes as he attempted to interview captain Faf du Plessis Monday.

Will Mehedi Maruf travel to Australia with the squad for the preparation camp in Sydney, Australia and then tour New Zealand? The 28-year-old batsman's travelling papers are being prepared but it is not yet certain whether any additional player will be added to the squad that was earlier announced for the tour.

Crisis-hit Australia included English-born opener Matt Renshaw among six changes to their revamped Test squad Sunday for this week's crucial third day-night Test against South Africa in Adelaide.

Skipper Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed dug in their heels as England crawled to 40 for no loss at tea on the fourth day of the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.