England last won the Ashes in 2015 and have not won a series in Australia since 2011 but Root was optimistic about their chances this time around.
With Rashid and Ahmed currently unavailable, Liam Dawson is the squad's only specialist spinner, meaning Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell may be required to bowl more than initially planned.
Mitchell Starc, who picked up 26 wickets in four matches with an average of 17.42, has moved one rung up to share the second spot with Pakistan spinner Noman Ali.
Healy's injury forces Australia rethink ahead of Women's World Cup clash against England
Former Australian batter Damien Martyn on Saturday returned home from hospital after recovering from an "awful" meningitis attack, which he said made him realise "how fragile life is."
Virat Kohli surpassed the great Ricky Ponting for most runs by a No 3 batter in ODIs.
Triumphant Australia will bid farewell to Usman Khawaja as England look to recover another few scraps of pride when the Ashes series comes to a conclusion with the fifth Test in Sydney from Sunday.
As he is laid to rest, Indian cricket bids farewell to one of its greatest administrators -- a visionary who understood that breaking monopolies and building stadiums were about the same thing: Giving millions of cricket-loving Indians the infrastructure worthy of their passion.
Hospitalised Australian cricketer Damien Martyn progressing well: Report
Women's WC: Rain forces abandonment of Sri Lanka's match against Australia
Both Stokes and McCullum are contracted until 2027 and have publicly expressed their desire to stay on beyond the current tour.
Pakistan pacer Zaman Khan comes under scrutiny over his bowling action in BBL
No fewer than 36 wickets fell during two chaotic days in the fourth Ashes Test, leaving the captains of both Australia and England unimpressed with the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch.
Ambassadors of the Quad nations, consisting of the United States, India, Australia and Japan, held a rare publicised meeting in Beijing.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy is set to make a comeback in the ICC Women's World Cup semi-final against India on Thursday.
Sutherland, Gardner sparkle as Australia outplay England by six wickets
Bradman wore that cap during the 1947/48 series against the first Indian team to tour Australia. The series saw Bradman amassing 715 runs from six innings.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Shaheen Shah Afridi's availability could be crucial for the team's chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The 19-year-old BMW driver and the 48-year-old Kia driver were uninjured. No other passengers were in either vehicle.
'Someone with a strong record against Australia, especially as a coach, is worth considering. Looking ahead to the Ashes in 2027, England might benefit from a different voice -- that extra 1% that helps teams win.'
Australian Open organizers came under fire on the Grand Slam's opening day on Sunday as frustrated fans sweated in long queues to the gates of Melbourne Park.
If Iyer is cleared for international duty, Mumbai will need to appoint a new captain for the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts, which begin on January 12.
Rohit Sharma hit a magnificent 121, while Virat Kohli stroked 74 in India's emphatic nine-wicket victory against Australia in Sydney.
Joe Root and Harry Brook hit half-centuries to put England in control before bad light ended play early on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test.
Italy are gearing up for their Twenty20 World Cup debut, hoping a strong showing next month will help the sport break into popular culture in a soccer-obsessed nation that does not have a natural cricket pitch.
Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings for the first time in five years.
Russian-born Daria Kasatkina said she is ready to embrace the "good pressure" of a home Grand Slam when she steps onto the Melbourne Park court as an Australian citizen for the first time.
Australia's Laura Harris scripted history on Sunday as she became the second woman to smash a half-century in 15 balls in the history of T20 cricket.
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka fended off a serious challenge from Anastasia Potapova to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Every time Joe Root or Steve Smith scores big in Test cricket, Sanjay Manjrekar says his thoughts drift to Virat Kohli.
Australia head coach and selector Andrew McDonald has confirmed Usman Khawaja will play in the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground amid media speculation it could be his last international.
The Mumbai batter is available to play Vijay Hazare Trophy match on Jan 6.
He was greeted with chants of 'Kohli, Kohli' with fans jostling for selfies and handshakes, as Kohli struggled to make his way through the crowd to his car.
Mumbai cricketer Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a few other local players were present at the training when Rohit had two batting nets session at the All Heart Cricket Academy.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted players from the Australian and England cricket teams ahead of the final Ashes Test at Kirribilli House for his annual New Year's Day reception on Thursday.
With the Ashes urn in their hands, Australia decided to rule Cummins out of the two remaining Tests.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says India and the EU are close to a 'historic trade agreement' that could create a market of two billion people and account for almost a quarter of the global GDP.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to return to international duties in June when India host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series.
Temba Bavuma, who led South Africa to their maiden ICC World Test Championship title and a historic 2-0 series sweep in India, also made the cut, while four Australian players were included.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances