Out-of-form batter Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from Australia's One-Day International squad for upcoming series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, with Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, and Josh Hazlewood returning to the side.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood believes reverse swing will be a crucial factor in the ongoing three-test series against South Africa, attributing its resurgence to the abrasive pitches. He successfully utilised this technique in the first test, which Australia won, and expects similar conditions for the second test in Gqeberha. Hazlewood also reflected on his recent performance and career longevity.
Australian umpire Ben Treloar will officiate in two Ranji Trophy matches in India, while India's Parashar Joshi will travel to Australia to stand in two Sheffield Shield matches and one One Day Cup fixture as part of an exchange programme between Cricket Australia and the BCCI.
Australia return to Newlands for the series-deciding Test against South Africa, confronting Sandpapergate memories from 2018, as Steve Smith seeks redemption and Nortje's injury reshapes hosts' bowling options.
Alex Carey says Australia must focus on preparation ahead of the South Africa Test, with their No. 1 ranking and World Test Championship hopes at stake.
Veteran Australian batter Steve Smith is battling a neck injury, raising concerns about his ability to bat on the final day of the second Test against South Africa, as Australia fights to salvage a draw after being forced to follow on.
Australia has announced its 16-member squad for the upcoming three-Test tour of South Africa, with top-order batsman Marnus Labuschagne retaining his place despite recent poor form.
Veteran Australian pace bowler Scott Boland delivered a stellar performance in his first Test since January, taking 4-31 against South Africa in Gqeberha, leaving the hosts struggling at 97 for 5 and giving Australia a strong advantage in the series.
Australia's assistant coach Matthew Wade has warned his team to expect a more dangerous and aggressive South African attack with pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada poised to return for the second Test in Gqeberha, following his absence from the first match due to a hamstring injury.
Australia and South Africa are set to begin a three-match Test series in Durban, with both teams looking for a boost after recent setbacks. The pitch at Kingsmead is expected to favour spinners, a departure from South Africa's usual seamer-friendly conditions, potentially influencing team selections.
Australia secured an innings and 51-run victory over Bangladesh in the second Test, but the performance highlighted persistent issues with their top-order batting, particularly for Marnus Labuschagne, raising questions ahead of their South Africa tour.
Australia's cricket coach Andrew McDonald indicated that selectors remain open to further changes in the batting order for the second Test against South Africa, depending on the pitch conditions in Gqeberha. This follows a successful, albeit surprising, lineup in the first Test where Nic Maddinson opened and Matt Renshaw excelled at number five. While former captain Steve Waugh urged consistency, McDonald emphasised the panel's flexible approach. The team is also monitoring the fitness of Cameron Green and Josh Inglis.
Scott Boland struck twice in successive deliveries to reduce South Africa to 20 for two on a rain-hit opening day, giving Australia the early advantage in the second Test.
Matt Renshaw's outstanding performance in Australia's Test victory over South Africa has solidified his middle-order spot, but the team still faces uncertainty regarding its opening batting combination. Travis Head's suitability at the top of the order is questioned, while Nic Maddinson's inconsistent debut adds to the dilemma. The article also highlights strong bowling performances from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and the team's challenging schedule ahead.
South Africa's Anrich Nortje, returning to first-class cricket after nearly four years, took two quick wickets to leave Australia struggling at 149-6 at tea on the opening day of the first Test. Nortje's fiery spell after lunch justified his recall, as he dismissed Alex Carey and Beau Webster in quick succession.
Kagiso Rabada became the fifth South African to claim 600 international wickets, while reaching 350 Test scalps in 13,808 deliveries, the fastest bowler to achieve the milestone.
Shukri Conrad has demanded sharper batting and greater mental toughness from South Africa after their 214-run defeat to Australia, urging composure over knee-jerk changes ahead of Sunday's second Test.
South African batsman Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out of the first Test against Australia due to a hamstring strain, adding to the team's growing injury concerns, with key paceman Kagiso Rabada also doubtful.
Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc likens winning upcoming away Test series in South Africa, India, and England, plus retaining the ODI World Cup, to Rory McIlroy's golf Grand Slam, acknowledging the team's ageing profile and the immense challenge ahead.
Nic Maddinson has been added to Australia's Test squad for the series against South Africa, marking a significant comeback over a year after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. He joins reserve wicketkeeper Sam Harper, as Josh Inglis is out with a fractured finger and Cameron Green is being monitored for an abdominal strain. Maddinson, who last played a Test in 2016, has shown strong form recently, including a century in the One-Day Cup.
Australia all-rounder Cameron Green will miss the first Test against South Africa after failing to recover from an abdominal strain, coach Andrew McDonald said on Tuesday.
Australia 'A' batter Nathan McSweeney attributed his success in the recent one-day series against India A to studying Virat Kohli's technique against spinners on YouTube. McSweeney was named player of the series after scoring 194 runs, helping Australia A win the series 2-1. He highlighted the importance of adapting to Indian conditions and executing strategies learned from top players.
South Africa's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada will miss the first Test against Australia due to a hamstring injury, with captain Temba Bavuma confirming the team will field two spinners, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, for the Durban match.
South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada is in contention to play in the first Test against Australia, starting Friday, despite a recent hamstring injury, with a final decision expected at the last minute.
South Africa's fast bowler Anrich Nortje is on the verge of a surprising return to Test cricket after nearly four years, potentially bolstering an injury-hit Proteas attack against Australia in the first Test starting Friday in Durban.
Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been ruled out of the remaining two One-Day Internationals against South Africa due to a fractured right index finger. The injury occurred during the first ODI, and he now faces a race against time to be fit for the upcoming three-match Test series in South Africa. Alex Carey is expected to replace him behind the stumps for the ODIs.
Travis Head launched a fiery defence of Australia's Test team, lambasting former players for unfair criticism while backing Nic Maddinson's recall and dismissing doubts over his opening role.
Mitchell Starc expects rain, humidity and unusual early-season conditions in South Africa to create unpredictable Test surfaces, potentially challenging Australia's traditional expectations of dry pitches and reverse swing.
'There is no fight whatsoever. It is disgraceful.'
South Africa have recalled batters Tony de Zorzi and Zubayr Hamza to their squad for the upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, while seamer Lungi Ngidi remains sidelined due to injury.
The ICC has announced the schedule for the men's World Cup, detailing India's opening match against Australia, a crucial clash with Pakistan, and other group stage fixtures, along with the dates and venues for the semi-finals and final.
Australian veteran batter Steve Smith has been cleared of serious neck damage following scans and is expected to be fit for the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand in December.
Australian batter Steve Smith has become the third Australian and 12th overall player to reach 11,000 runs in Test cricket during the ongoing second Test against South Africa. He achieved this milestone in 226 innings, placing him among an elite group of batters. The article also details the match situation where South Africa has enforced a follow-on against Australia.
All-rounder Suryansh Shedge has been named as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya in the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry, with Pandya ruled out due to a fresh injury concern preventing him from bowling pain-free.
The numbers don't settle it. Bumrah has the lower average and is harder to score off. Rabada has the bigger pile, the ten-wicket matches, and a winning team behind him.
Zimbabwe have named Sikandar Raza captain for their Australia ODI series, recalling veterans Brendan Taylor and Graeme Cremer while injuries rule out Richard Ngarava, Clive Madande and Tanaka Chivanga.
Afghanistan has achieved its highest-ever position in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings, climbing to 6th spot and surpassing Sri Lanka, following impressive performances including a 4-0 series win over Ireland and an unbeaten tri-series campaign.
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has become the world No. 1 batter in T20 Internationals, according to the latest ICC rankings.
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has advised Babar Azam to seek specialised batting help in Australia or South Africa to overcome his prolonged slump. Babar's struggles were evident in the recent tri-series final, and he faces pressure to regain form ahead of upcoming series and the 2027 ODI World Cup, despite support from some former players.
Australia secured an unassailable 2-0 ODI series lead against Zimbabwe after Travis Head's century powered them to a record total, backed by Adam Zampa's 200th wicket in an 84-run victory.
