Australia bowled out the West Indies for 148 on the opening day of the first Test in Dominica on Wednesday, but the home team struck back by taking three wickets in the final session.
Australia's stand-in coach David Saker on Wednesday said that the team management will closely monitor premier fast bowler Pat Cummins' workload in the upcoming limited overs series against India even though they expect him to play all the five ODIs.
Replacement paceman Kyle Abbott took 6-77 as South Africa completed an innings and 80-run humiliation of Australia the second Test in Hobart on Tuesday to seal the three-match series with a game to spare.
'They have tried too hard to be that stereotypical Australian team that are aggressive and go hard at people.'
Australia captain Aaron Finch says playing in the sub-continent can be intimidating, but having won an ODI series last year, he says 'Knowing that our game plan is good enough to beat India in India, that gives us a lot of confidence going there.'
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
All-rounder James Faulkner became the sixth Australian cricketer to claim a hat-trick in one-day internationals, achieving the feat in the second match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The 26-year-old left-arm bowler got his first wicket when he trapped Kusal Perera leg-before with the final delivery of his eighth over.
Indian opener K L Rahul hit pay dirt with a Rs 11 crore deal with Kings XI Punjab, while controversial England all-rounder Ben Stokes also triggered a bidding war before going to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 12.50 crore at the IPL auctions, in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
The ICC hailed the 11th cricket World Cup the 'most popular ever.'
Australia will nonetheless be richer for their presence, and the duo's carefully orchestrated reunion with team mates has been smoothed by some cracking performances since their recovery from elbow injuries.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will have to pull out all stops to prevent the Mumbai Indians juggernaut.
'All the talking stops very quickly and the series becomes a normal series after the first two hours'
Following Rising Pune Supergiants batsman Faf du Plessis's exit, Aruneel Sadadekar/Rediff.com takes stock of the players forced out of the cash-rich Twenty20 extravaganza by injury.
Coach Darren Lehmann gave Australia a mark of '7.5' out of 10 for a year in which they won the World Cup but lost the Ashes, the series most prized by home fans.
Rohit Sharma is ready to be flexible about his batting position in the eagerly-anticipated Test series against Australia
Clarke said their statement finds no mention of the incident's chief protagonist, Cameron Bancroft
A relieved Australia captured Pakistan's last two wickets to win a captivating first day-night Test in Brisbane by 39 runs on Monday but the touring side won huge admiration for their dogged fourth innings resistance.
Despite the pair making certain of selection, doubts remain in other areas of captain Tim Paine's team, with opener Matt Renshaw picking up a head injury after being struck by the ball during the tour game that ended on Tuesday.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
The batsman's unbeaten 110 at the WACA cauldron anchored a 174-run stand with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (75 not out) to push England to 305 for four at stumps as the tourists emerged on top after an intriguing opening day.
Aruneel Sadadekar/Rediff.com takes a look at some players Indian fans will miss following their exploits in the Indian Premier League.
Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia at the SCG on Saturday and was taken for a scan.
But Smith believes the world champions have a quality squad to bounce back in the series.
Dark sunglasses were the order of the day for Australia's triumphant cricket team.
'We've tried to bounce Pujara, we've tried wide of the stumps, we've tried at the stumps, Nathan Lyon's been over and around ... and he's been too good for us'
'We are a skilled team and we are capable of countering those challenges'
India captain Rohit Sharma is extremely satisfied with his team's World Cup preparation and wouldn't like to read too much into the 66-run defeat at the hands of Australia in the final game of the three-match ODI series in Rajkot on Wednesday.
Calls have been growing for spilt captaincy in the Indian team since Rohit led Mumbai Indians to a fifth title in the IPL.
India would eye nothing less than a clean sweep when they take on an Australian side significantly weakened by injury blows, in the third and final T20 International, in Sydney, on Tuesday.
Images from Day 3 of the third Test between Australia and India, at the SCG, on Saturday.
Michael Clarke blames poor shot selection for narrow New Zealand loss.
Vihari, who had kept his base price at Rs 50 lakh, found himself in the unsold bracket.
Shane Watson has been dropped from the Australia team for this week's second Ashes Test against England and will be replaced by fellow all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli shared the experience of facing the top bowler in the nets
Australia's new squad member Peter Handscomb will be thrust into the cauldron of Thursday's World Cup semi-final against England as replacement for Usman Khawaja, coach Justin Langer has said. Langer also confirmed that all-rounder Marcus Stoinis had passed a fitness test and was ready for Edgbaston while refusing to guarantee the mercurial Glenn Maxwell a place in the team.
Australia have opted for experience over youth in an attempt to win a maiden World Twenty20 title by selecting veterans Brad Hogg, Brad Hodge and Brad Haddin in their 15-man squad for the tournament in Bangladesh next month.
'They have got so much talent. And in the last 10 years when they have not been playing home Test matches (for security reasons), they have done a remarkable job to be as competitive as they have and continue to bring on the level of talented players they have.'
Bumrah is considered to be a key player for India.
'I thought Virat Kohli was the best batsman I've ever seen because of the way he plays in all forms, but Steve Smith... that's another level.'
South Africa's success in Australia is often put down to their comfort on the hard local tracks, which can be similar to those at home, but they could face some unfamiliar conditions this year.
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