t Pat Cummins' side firmly on top of the WTC standings, with a perfect record after six matches in the current cycle.
England captain Ben Stokes will retire from international cricket after the third Test against New Zealand, saying the demands of captaincy had burned him out after a remarkable career featuring World Cup glory and Ashes heroics.
England has announced their 12-player squad for the first Test against New Zealand, which begins at Lord's on Thursday. The squad includes two uncapped players and sees the return of Ollie Robinson, while Zak Crawley and Jofra Archer are notable omissions.
Australia have suffered another blow ahead of the Ashes opener against England after fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to a hamstring injury on Saturday, further weakening their bowling attack after the loss of captain Pat Cummins.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 3rd Ashes Test in Adelaide on Sunday.
Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald has voiced his support for Cameron Green, affirming his place in the Test squad despite a less-than-stellar Ashes series. McDonald cites Green's strong domestic record and potential for growth as reasons for his continued selection.
'We thought he'd play a huge part in the series. But really feel for him that he won't get that opportunity.'
India's women's cricket team is set to make history by playing their first-ever Test match at Lord's against England. This follows an early exit from the T20 World Cup, allowing more preparation time. Head coach Amol Mujumdar expressed the team's excitement for this landmark occasion, highlighting the dream of playing a Test at the iconic venue. Both teams feature potential debutants, with England's Tammy Beaumont retiring after this historic match.
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins has returned to Australia for a final scan on his injured back to gain clearance for the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is expected to rejoin the squad on April 17 if cleared.
Cameron Green and Alex Carey guided Australia to an emphatic five-wicket victory against England, to claim the series 4-1, on Day 5 of the fifth Ashes Test on Thursday.
Opening batter Jake Weatherald and pace bowler Brendan Doggett will make their Test debuts for Australia in the first Ashes Test against England in Perth on Friday.
Cummins has been sidelined with a lumbar stress injury since Australia swept West Indies in the Caribbean in July.
Cricket Australia has decided against centralising control over Test pitch preparation, maintaining that local curators are best suited to create unique and high-quality surfaces, despite criticism following the Ashes series.
England captain Ben Stokes and bowler Gus Atkinson have both been left out of the second Test against New Zealand starting next week following an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub, the ECB said on Wednesday.
'It is the biggest stage and it is the brightest lights. It is a series that could define teams, the people and players within it.'
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
'I think it's a huge credit to (head coach) Andrew McDonald, the coaching staff and the medical staff that we feel like we've got a big squad that we can draw on.'
Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped from the Test side during the tour of West Indies in June-July, has since hit three centuries in one-dayers and a couple more in Sheffield Shield for Queensland.
'A couple of weeks ago, did he think he was a chance (to play in Perth)? Potentially not, he was a little bit sore. Then you flip it forward two weeks and there's a lot more positivity. We've still got a little bit to go.'
England coach Brendon McCullum has strongly denied any rift with Test captain Ben Stokes, calling speculation 'amusing' after Stokes' suspension for a curfew breach.
England did not have their full squad in Perth until last Sunday and will play one internal match before the first Ashes Test on November 21.
While ever more hostage to Twenty20's global carve-up, cricket will take a breath from next week to indulge its most time-honoured rivalry as Australia and England battle in the Ashes.
Ben Stokes defended England's decision to rest Jofra Archer for the opening Test against New Zealand at Lord's after the fast bowler's Indian Premier League stint, with the captain warning that mishandling such situations could drive players away from international cricket.
Usman Khawaja said he was delighted to end his Test career with a victory in the fifth and final Ashes Test against England at Sydney on Thursday.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.
Expect nothing less than hostility, fire and close contests as Ben Stokes' England come armed with their Bazball philosophy to try and get the better of a depleted Australia.
England have dropped opener Zak Crawley and selected Emilio Gay as Ben Duckett's opening partner in a reshaped squad for the first Test against New Zealand.
England captain Ben Stokes was forced off the field because of injury on Day 4 of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday.
Despite backing from the team management, Washington Sundar's inconsistent usage with both bat and ball has raised questions over his undefined role, with Ravichandran Ashwin urging India to utilise him more clearly as a genuine all-rounder.
'The body is holding together, and it's a great group to be a part of.'
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has praised Cheteshwar Pujara for his key role in India's historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in Australia, saying the achievement was "as good as winning the World Cup."
Rain washed out the final day of the fourth Ashes Test, forcing a draw which ensured England, trailing 2-1 with one match to go, cannot win the series and leaving Australia, as holders, guaranteed to return home with the Urn.
England flirted with a comeback for the ages on Sunday, with Will Jacks, Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse putting up brave stands, but Australia's Mitchell Starc took three wickets to end the resistance.
Australia host the next T20 World Cup in 2028 but will be eyeing a bigger prize a few months before that when cricket is reintroduced to the Olympics in LA.
England cricket captain Ben Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson are under investigation by the ECB after reportedly breaking a midnight curfew and being involved in an incident at a Chelsea nightclub. A security guard accompanying the players was injured, and the controversy has raised questions about team discipline and Stokes's future as captain.
England need to alter their approach if they hope to claw their way back after their disastrous start to the Ashes series and avoid another drubbing, former Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson said.
All-rounder Cameron Green may opt for a block of red-ball cricket for Western Australia to ramp up his bowling before the Ashes.
Australia defeated India by 10 wickets in the women's one-off day-night Test in Perth. India, resuming at 105 for 6, were all out for 149, setting Australia a target of just 25 runs, which they chased down comfortably.
England batter Joe Root said his experience of 158 Tests makes him better equipped than ever to end a victory drought in Australia, as he ramps up preparations for the upcoming Ashes series.
Captain Ben Stokes believes England can build on the positives from their loss in the third Ashes Test to Australia in Adelaide as they look to claim the country's first win Down Under in almost 15 years in the series' two remaining tests.
