India recently concluded their multi-format tour of South Africa in which they did not allow the Proteas to win a single series. While they managed to finish off the three-match T20I series 1-1 tied after the opening match was washout without a ball being bowled, India went on to win the ODI series 2-1. The visitors then faced an embarassing defeat in the Test series opener in Centurion losing the match by an innings and 32 runs. However, in the New Year's Test at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, India registered a famous win to square off the series 1-1.
It was the shortest Test match in the history of the purest format of the game. During the final Test match of the series, India's veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a light-hearted conversation with former South Africa speedster Makhaya Ntini. Notably, Ntini plied his trade for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) playing 9 matches and picking up 7 wickets at an average of 6.91. He was part of the broadcasting team of SuperSport network.
When Ashwin asked Ntini to share a message for CSK fans, saying: "That’s for the CSK fans; you can say hello to them,” the Protean legend sang an iconic Bollywood song 'Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein' in a hilarious manner, leaving Ashwin in splits.
Take a look at the video here:
Afghanistan T20Is Next Assignment For Team India
After the conclusion of the South Africa tour, Team India's next assignment is the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan beginning on January 11 at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the squad for the same and once it is out, there will be a lot of clarity on which faces could be there in the T20 scheme of things heading into the T20 World Cup later this year with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, having not played a T20I fixture since their defeat to England in the T20 World Cup semifinal in 2022.