Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja hammered home the advantage their bowlers had established when they took Australia to 147-3, a deficit of just 36 runs, at the close of the opening day's play in the first Test against New Zealand on Friday.
Newly appointed Australia batting coach Graeme Hick feels that team's premier batsmen would have to 'show more patience' and adaptability when they tour India early next year in what will be an imposing challenge.
Afghanistan showed some fight to set a target of 208 runs to win for Australia on Saturday.
Former captain Ricky Ponting said Aaron Finch and uncapped Marcus Harris should open the batting for Australia in the upcoming four-Test series against India.
Justin Langer is sweating over the fitness of David Warner but insists he will take no chances over the health of his opener. Australia kick off their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 campaign against Afghanistan in Bristol on Saturday, with Warner hoping to shake off an injury to his glute muscle.
Kagiso Rabada regained his top spot among bowlers crossing the coveted 900-point mark in ratings even as Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin climbed up a couple of notches to be placed fourth in the ICC Test Player Rankings, released on Tuesday.
The much-awaited return of David Warner and Steve Smith from their one-year bans has bolstered the team
Steve Smith accused South Africa wicketkeeper Quniton de Kock of setting off a heated dispute by making a personal remark to David Warner
Sri Lanka set Australia a stiff 268-run victory target before claiming three wickets in a truncated afternoon session to take the upper hand on the penultimate day of the first Test in Pallekele on Friday.
Australia grabbed a handy 86-run lead in the first innings over Sri Lanka and dealt an early blow with the new ball before rain washed out the entire final session for the second consecutive day in the first Test at Pallekele on Wednesday.
Langer said Smith and Warner's experience made them natural authority figures and that their leadership would be 'crucial' for success on and off the field.
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas destroyed Australia, picking up five wickets in both innings, as the hosts won the second and final Test by a huge margin of 373 runs to clinch the series 1-0.
Earlier, Nathan Lyon kept Australia in the contest, claiming six for 82 to help bowl out Bangladesh for 221 after the hosts had resumed on 45 for one.
Australia bowled out Bangladesh for 260 and then suffered a spectacular top-order collapse of their own to leave them reeling at 18 for three after the spin-dominated opening day of the first Test on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Holland played two Tests in Sri Lanka in 2016 but has not appeared for his country in any format since.
Australia captain Steve Smith led by example, smashing an unbeaten 108 against a sloppy Pakistan to secure his team's seven-wicket victory with five overs to spare in the third one-day international in Perth on Thursday.
Resurgent Australia completed a 5-0 whitewash of Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, with all top four batsmen posting half-centuries in a commanding 20-run win, the team's eighth in succession.
Australia named five uncapped players in a raw tour squad to play Pakistan in a Test series in the United Arab Emirates, while recalling pace veteran Peter Siddle for the first time in two years and dropping middle order batsman Peter Handscomb.
Australia closed in on a victory that will see them retain the Ashes after ending an incredible second day of the third Test with a lead of 283 runs, having bowled out England for an embarrassing 67 in their first innings.
The Australian cricket board confirmed on Friday there would be no eleventh hour breakthrough in a bitter pay dispute with the players' union, leaving more than 200 leading cricketers uncontracted and the fate of future tournaments in limbo.
Peter Handscomb was also happy with the fact that Australia have been able to chase down big totals in the tour irrespective of formats.
Unbeaten half-centuries from Manish Pandey (95) and Ambati Rayudu (62) helped India 'B' and India 'A' register victories against South Africa 'A' and Australia 'A' respectively in separate quadrangular one-day series matches in Bengaluru.
After a week dominated by back and forth between the camps over the sledging of England's Jonny Bairstow in the first Test, the tourists clearly decided to target Smith with a few choice words in a bid to unsettle him.
Our selection was wrong, says Aussie spin great Shane Warne.
Despite a superb six-wicket haul by leg-spinner Adam Zampa, Rising Pune Supergiants suffered a narrow four-run loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL clash to end their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Virat Kohli's 40th ODI century and Vijay Shankar's fine all-round showing helped India down Australia by eight runs to take a 2-0 series lead, in Nagpur, on Tuesday.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Test played between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town on Saturday
Australia survived a middle-order meltdown to beat Bangladesh by three wickets in a World Twenty20 Super 10 match on Monday to get their campaign up and running.
Images from the World Cup second semi-final between England and Australia in Birmingham, on Thursday.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Test between Australia and Sri Lanka on Thursday
The Australians only had themselves to blame for their defeat on Friday as they had several opportunities to turn the game their way.
Virat Kohli smashed his 39th one-day international century as India claimed a dramatic six-wicket victory over Australia at a sweltering Adelaide Oval on Tuesday to level up the three-match series at 1-1.
Australia will start favourites in Thursday's clash but a passionate Bangladesh are expected to make life tough for the holders.
Bad light and intermittent rain led to substantial loss of play with only 25.3 overs bowled on day four.
The next time Darren Lehmann sends out a team will be in the Ashes opener against England and the Australia coach already has some firm ideas of who will be playing in Brisbane after a mixed tour of Bangladesh.
'He has got to do a bit of work on his 'keeping and he will also become a better batsman.'
With two days left, and Australia still 386 runs adrift of their score, India will fancy their chances of winning their first-ever Test series Down Under.
'I think they're feeling the pressure a little bit to be honest'
Kusal Mendis excelled under pressure again, hitting a sparkling 86 and featuring in two important partnerships to help Sri Lanka overcome a shaky start and post 281 all out on the opening day of the second Test against Australia on Thursday.
Cheteshwar Pujara hit his second century of the series before India captain Virat Kohli declared their first innings closed at 443 for seven after tea on day two of the third Test against Australia on Thursday.
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