Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week's Australian Open warm-up tournament in Adelaide to focus on being ready for the year's first Grand Slam at Melbourne Park.
World number eight Mirra Andreeva warmed up for the Australian Open with a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 victory over fellow teenager Victoria Mboko in the Adelaide International final on Saturday to claim her fourth WTA Tour title.
Starc also pointed out that the wicket did not assist pacers that much with the new ball and expressed concerns over Nathan Lyon's injury on the final day of the Test and the setback to Hazlewood.
Lyon's lack of recent action has left him stalled on 562 wickets, one shy of Glenn McGrath's tally in the list of most prolific Australian test wicket-takers.
The Ashes could be decided within days at an Adelaide Oval furnace where England's hopes of wresting back the urn will fire anew or flame out entirely against a strengthened Australia.
Australia captain Pat Cummins will be ready to return from injury for the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide.
Australia's Usman Khawaja has declared himself fit for the third Ashes Test against England next week, brushing aside speculation about his future and saying he will keep playing as long as he is valued by the team.
'We just need to chisel away at some of the things we haven't got quite right and make sure that we still have that conviction of what we're trying to achieve.'
Regular captain Pat Cummins was named in the Australia squad on Wednesday for the third Ashes Test against England, a strong indication that the inspirational fast bowler will see his first action of the series in Adelaide next week.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 3rd Ashes Test played in Adelaide on Wednesday
England lost both matches by eight wickets and will relinquish all hopes of regaining the Ashes if they are unable to win the third Test, which begins at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
Australia may opt to continue with a four-prong pace attack at Adelaide and even add another part-time seamer in all-rounder Beau Webster, who could replace batter Josh Inglis in the lower middle order.
'He's a quality player, it was a matter of time for him to score.'
Travis Head proved England's nemesis once again as he scored his second century of the Ashes to carry Australia toward a seemingly inevitable series triumph on day three at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison won the Australian Open men's doubles crown, defeating Aussie wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans in straight sets in their first Grand Slam together.
India captain Shubman Gill admitted that dropped catches and a total which was just adequate cost his side dearly as Australia clinched the ODI series with a disciplined all-round performance in Adelaide on Thursday.
Australia batter Matthew Short believes his team's pacers will continue to exploit Virat Kohli's recent weakness outside off stump when India face Australia in the second ODI, in Adelaide, on Thursday.
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for Thursday's second ODI against Australia?
'It was good fun. I was obviously really nervous. Super stoked for the boys to get the win.'
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins says his injury-forced withdrawal from the T20 World Cup was also driven by a desire to be completely fit for the upcoming Test season.
Playing in just his second BBL match, Jerrssis Wadia made an instant impact in the Australian Big Bash League, delivering a thrilling cameo for the Adelaide Strikers.
'The body is holding together, and it's a great group to be a part of.'
Labuschagne underlined the cricket adage that "catches win matches", while England counted the cost of dropped chances in Adelaide.
Usman Khawaja picked as Australia announce squad for Sydney Test against England
Kamalini, Vaishnavi earn maiden ODI call-ups; Shreyanka, Fulmali return to T20I squad
Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell and hTim David will also be rested from the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29.
With the Ashes urn in their hands, Australia decided to rule Cummins out of the two remaining Tests.
Virat Kohli has enjoyed a phenomenal run with the bat recently, amassing 700 runs in his last 10 innings in 50-overs cricket.
The flawless performance means Djokovic has reached a century of match wins in three of the four Grand Slams, with 95 at the U.S. Open.
Spinner Todd Murphy has been called into the Australia squad in place of the injured Nathan Lyon for this week's fourth Ashes Test, while captain Pat Cummins will skip the rest of the series as his back issue is managed.
Djokovic brought up set point with an acrobatic backhand and secured the set with an unreturned shot from the same flank to close in on his 399th Grand Slam match victory, and his 101st in Melbourne, leaving him one shy of recordholder Roger Federer.
Besides his batting, he was just as exceptional behind the stumps, taking some really clean catches to prove his mettle as one of the best glovesmen in world cricket right now.
With their Ashes hero Mitchell Starc retiring from T20 internationals, Xavier Bartlett is set to claim the second pace bowling slot in the group stage of the World Cup.
'The only reason I come back is because of the love you (fans) give me'
Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of remainder of Australia's Big Bash League due to a knee injury.
Richardson has, so far, played three Test matches since making his debut in 2018-19. The pacer has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 22.09.
'We haven't got everything right. I haven't got everything right as a coach and I put my hand up for that.'
Meanwhile, Australian captain Pat Cummins also commented on the DRS controversy, noting that RTS appeared to be different from UltraEdge.
A defiant Novak Djokovic is adamant he can still beat any player on his day but at 38 the Serb is no longer focusing on the Grand Slam record, saying he does not need the pressure it brings.
It was a wild ride while it lasted but the 'Bazball' revolution that enlivened English cricket for three years collapsed in 11 days on Australian soil in an Ashes defeat as harrowing as any in the modern era.
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