Ireland finally won their first Test match on Friday when they defeated Afghanistan by six wickets in Abu Dhabi, ending a streak of seven successive losses.

The venue for the eagerly anticipated Test match between Afghanistan and Ireland has been relocated to accommodate a local school sports competition in Abu Dhabi.

Dhruv Jurel led India's spirited rearguard action with a brilliant 90 before the hosts were all out for 303 at lunch replying to England's first innings total of 353 on day three of the fourth Test on Sunday.

There is "definitely a chance" that England captain Ben Stokes will bowl in the fourth Test against India, his deputy Ollie Pope said Wednesday, in a badly needed boost for the tourists.

England are blocking out all "external noise" to help Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow hit form and keep the series alive against India in Friday's fourth Test in Ranchi.

"I managed to bowl at 100 percent on one of the warm-up days here which made me feel pretty good. I felt like I could have bowled in the game but that would have been stupid."

Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed an unbeaten 214 as India declared their second innings on 430-4 to set England a victory target of 557 on day four of the third Test on Sunday.

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will rejoin the team on Sunday's day four of the third Test against England after he left midway through the match due to a family emergency, the country's cricket board said.

The hosts reached 44-1 at tea in their second innings at Rajkot after part-time spinner Joe Root dismissed skipper Rohit Sharma lbw for 19.

A severely depleted India will do everything they can to try and deny England captain Ben Stokes a victory in his 100th Test when the teams clash in the third match of the five-Test series in Rajkot on Thursday.

"It was always one of those situations for an individual where having to wait for that, it's always an anxious period, but thankfully we've got it through this morning."

England on Wednesday brought fast bowler Mark Wood into their playing XI for the third Test against India, opting to go with two seamers for the first time in the series.

South Africa skittled New Zealand's tail to dismiss their hosts for 211 and take a shock 31-run first-innings lead on day two of the second test at Seddon Park on Wednesday.

South Africa were tottering at 150-6 early in the final session.

England spin spearhead Jack Leach will miss the rest of their five-match test series against India due to a left knee injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Sunday.

The series is level at 1-1 after two matches that Kohli also missed, and will resume without him in Rajkot for the third Test starting Thursday.

Williamson was out for a rapid 109 as the home side reached 179-4 in their second innings, extending their overall lead to 528 runs by stumps

Sri Lanka wrapped up a comfortable 10-wicket win in the one-off Test match against Afghanistan in Colombo on Monday.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took a match haul of nine wickets to lead India's 106-run win over England in the second Test on Monday and level the five-match series.

India claimed five wickets in the morning session of day four to reduce England to 194-6 and stay on course for a series-levelling victory in the second Test on Monday.