Australia captain Steve Smith and star opener David Warner say they have no desire to play four-day Tests.
David Warner's international career come to an anti-climactic end after Afghanistan's stunning victory over Bangladesh eliminated Australia from the T20 World Cup.
Australia skipper Steven Smith said that the pitches did not "break up quite as much as expected" during the four-match cricket Test series against India and it hampered the home side's chances of winning by a bigger margin.
Michael Clarke may just meet the fitness deadline to lead the national team into the World Cup starting February 14, even as many Australia cricket officials are mulling appointing Steven Smith as full-time captain after the 50-over showpiece event.
Australia were 221 for 4 at close of play, in response to India's 408, on Day 2 of the second Test at the Gabba, on Thursday. Check out some images from the day's play.
Factbox on the four-Test series between India and Australia, which starts at Pune on Thursday:
In the all-rounders' list, Ravindra Jadeja is placed 10th, while the top spot continues to be held by Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan.
Here are the statistical highlights from the opening day's play of the fourth and final cricket Test between India and Australia, played in Dharamsala on Saturday.
How rare is it for two players to score hundreds on captaincy debut in the same series? Virat Kohli got two when he led India in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. Now, Steven Smith got one in his first Test as captain in the ongoing second Test at Brisbane.
India opener Shubman Gill's reign at the top of the ODI batters' list was short-lived as he was replaced by former Pakistani skipper Babar Azam in the ICC Player Rankings issued on Wednesday.
'I have seen it twice while batting. I have seen their players looking upstairs (dressing room).' 'I can only say, if it happens more than twice, it's not brain fade'
The injured and banned duo of Steven Smith and David Warner are unlikely to take part in Australia's final two ODIs against Pakistan despite serving out their one-year suspensions.
The ever-consistent Steve Smith continued his rich vein of form,scoring an unbeaten 79 in Rajasthan Royals' easy seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians, in the IPL match in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night, and immediately declared he "never gets tired of batting".
Cricket Australia (CA) said on Sunday they will conduct an investigation into a ball-tampering scandal during the third Test against South Africa that has prompted calls for captain Steve Smith to step down.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth?
Images from the opening ODI between Australia and India at the WACA, Perth, on Tuesday.
Those three wickets for six runs, in a manic final 15 minutes of the day's play, undid all the good work that had gone before, asserts Prem Panicker.
'The past few days I have found something ... I have found my hands which I am extremely excited about.'
Steven Smith maintained his purple patch to hit a brilliant unbeaten 102 to secure Australia's three-wicket victory against England in a high-scoring tri-series match at Hobart on Friday.
Relishing the challenge of squaring off against new Indian captain Virat Kohli in the fourth and final cricket Test in Sydney, Australian skipper Steve Smith described his rival number as an "emotional character".
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell feels New Zealand are the dark horses even though India and South Africa will challenge Australia for the trophy.
Australia captain Steve Smith, on Thursday, said he was not sure if he was one of the 'couple of individuals' from the Australian team who Virat Kohli did not want to be friends with, his expression belying the unease in the aftermath of an acrimonious Test series.
Chris Rogers and Steve Smith plundered superb centuries to lead Australia to a commanding 337 for one on the first day of the second Ashes Test against England at Lord's on Thursday.
After escaping a 39-run victory over Pakistan in the Gabba Test, Australian skipper Steve Smith on Monday said the "game was a bit close for his liking". The hosts struck Pakistan's last two wickets quickly to clinch win before tea on day five of the opening day and night Test of the three-match. "I've lost all my fingernails, I think," Smith was quoted as saying by news.com.au. "It was a bit too close for my liking. Some game of cricket wasn't it?"
Former Australia captain Greg Chappell feels that Steven Smith is a worthy candidate to lead the national cricket team but adds he is not the only choice if Michael Clarke decides to step down some day.
Player of the Match De Kock said they assessed the conditions perfectly and played to their strength to come out on top against Australia.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban on Thursday.
Captain Steve Smith struck his maiden half-century in the Indian Premier League to steer Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and Australia, at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, on Thursday.
After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
Virat Kohli is the lone Indian batsman to be figuring in the top-10 in the ICC Test batsmen rankings.
Australia batsman Steven Smith revealed English county side Surrey once tried to push him into the country's national set-up by virtue of his mother's British heritage.
The truth of the matter is that India lost their second successive WTC final on day two of this encounter when they collapsed to 71/4 in response to Australia's first-innings total of 469.
Young captain Steven Smith compiled a watchful half-century to guide Australia to 259 for five at stumps and leave the third Test against India delicately poised after an attritional opening day.
Australia captain Steven Smith defended his decision to declare late and concede a draw four overs early in the third Test on Tuesday, saying India had contributed to the non-result with their tactics in the morning.
Following the retirements of Chris Rogers, captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson, Smith will lead a team in transition into the three-match series which wraps up with cricket's first day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Skipper Kane Williamson says New Zealand are looking forward to a World Cup semi-final with India if the are fortunate enough to make it.
Openers Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum provided the perfect platform as Gujarat Lions chased down an imposing 196-run target to beat Rising Pune Supergiants in the Indian Premier League match, at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Pune, on Friday.
Steve Smith completed his fourth century in as many matches on Wednesday as Australia compiled a daunting first innings total in the final Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh scored unbeaten half-centuries to launch a strong response from Australia after Dinesh Chandimal's patient hundred pushed Sri Lanka's first-innings total to 355 on the second day of the third and final Test on Sunday.
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