It's a clear call for India's bowlers and batsmen to raise their stocks. There ought to be bigger knocks, bigger stands and more firepower in the bowling arsenal.
Smith has managed just 10 runs in the first two matches, while Labuschagne could not capitalise on the starts
The fifth match of the Commonwealth Bank series between India and Sri Lanka in Adelaide ended in a thrilling tie on Tuesday. While the bowlers helped India stay on course for a third straight win by restricting Sri Lanka to 236 for nine on a placid Adelaide Oval wicket, the batsmen paid the price for leaving too much for the end.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, while delighting in the 4-0 whitewash of India, re-emphasised on Saturday that the triumph was just a staging post to the goal of being the best Test team in the world.
Australia were on the brink of a series sweep after reducing India to 166 for six in their pursuit of 500 runs for an unlikely victory at the close of play on the fourth day of the fourth Test on Friday.
It is understood that both the BCCI and Cricket Australia are on same page as far as playing one Day/Night Test in Australia is concerned.
Australia are aiming for a whitewash but that is easier said than done as skipper Michael Clarke on Monday conceded the conditions at Adelaide Oval are more of India's liking even though he expects reverse swing to play a crucial role during the fourth and final Test starting on Tuesday.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon made his way back into the Australian squad at the expense of pacer Mitchell Starc for the fourth and final cricket Test against India starting in Adelaide on Tuesday.
A good performance in the inconsequential fourth and final Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval will be a shot in the arm for the demoralized Indian team ahead of the triangular One-day series to be held next month, said middle-order batsman Suresh Raina on Thursday.
Mitchell Starc claimed his second hat-trick of the match to lead New South Wales to a 171-run victory over Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield on Tuesday.
'There is no comfort zone at the international level, there is no comfort zone in training, there is no comfort zone in preparation. So, people who want to relate this to comfort zone should really have a reality check that it's pressure, not a comfort zone.'
Josh Hazlewood took five for eight as Australia romped to an emphatic victory by eight wickets inside three days in the first Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday after skittling India for 36, their lowest innings score in 88 years of Test cricket.
'We have got the ability to take quick wickets, and obviously we will try and do that tomorrow, keep the scoreboard under control and hopefully one of our great bowlers has bit of run-on and somewhat momentum and I think and hopefully keep that score as low as possible.'
Australia have the best-record in day-night Tests as the side has not lost a single match that has been played with the pink ball.
Cummins said there is always a sense of excitement when they approach a pink ball Test.
Ashwin, Rohit ruled out of 2nd Test.
England paceman James Anderson raised concerns about potentially 'dangerous' short-pitched bowling at the tourists' tail-enders during the first Ashes Test, but his captain Joe Root said the lower order would just need to learn to 'deal with it'.
Australian and English cricketers will put their fierce rivalry aside on Wednesday to raise funds for the victims of the devastating floods in Queensland.
Images from the World cup match between India and Pakistan at Adelaide.
New Zealand are awaiting clarification from the International Cricket Council regarding Nigel Llong's contentious third umpire decision in the day-night Test against Australia after the ruling had an "impact" on the game, coach Mike Hesson has said.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
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'If you have a captain of India who is not interested in Test cricket that will impact the scene. Virat loves Test cricket, he champions Test cricket, and while that's happening India will play Test cricket.'
Former ICC elite-level umpire Daryl Harper looks back at his controversial decision against Sachin Tendulkar in the 1999 Adelaide Test "everyday of my life" but says he proudly stands by what he believes was a correct decision. A bouncer from Australian pace spearhead Glenn McGrath had Tendulkar ducking and the ball hit him on his shoulders. Officiating in the game, umpire Harper deemed it as leg before wicket and to India's surprise, raised his finger, igniting a debate.
Former Australian bowler and influential coach Bruce Yardley died on Wednesday at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer.
Spinner Graeme Swann enjoyed befuddling Australia's batsmen on Tuesday to help England post their first away Ashes victory in seven years, but found his captain proved far more difficult to penetrate.
Batsman Kevin Pietersen labelled groundstaff at Australia's Adelaide Oval "pathetic" after England's practice session was forced indoors due to rain just two days before the start of the second Ashes Test.
Centurion Ricky Ponting does not want Australia to "kill too much time" in their pursuit of putting up a huge first-innings total, for taking 20 wickets could be hard work on a benign pitch at the Adelaide Oval.
A heel injury might have ruled him out for bulk of the home Test series against India, but teen pace sensation Pat Cummins is in no mood to give up hope yet.
Australia beat India by 48 runs in a thrilling end to the first Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, with Nathan Lyon picking up seven wickets after Virat Kohli scored an inspired century for the visitors.
Former Australia captain Greg Chappell feels that Steven Smith is a worthy candidate to lead the national cricket team but adds he is not the only choice if Michael Clarke decides to step down some day.
Jonathan Trott scored a century and took his first One-Day International wicket as England beat Australia by 21 runs at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday to keep the series alive.
Australian spin bowling great Shane Warne finally killed off talk of a comeback to Test cricket on the morning of the third Ashes encounter on Thursday saying he had been tempted but is not fit enough.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that Andrew Strauss-led side's crushing win over Australia in the second Ashes Test is the testimony of the fact that the team could well go on to replace India as the number one Test side in the world.
Australia's bid to win back the Ashes after crashing to an innings and 71-run defeat in the second test on Tuesday has been dealt a further blow with opening batsman Simon Katich likely to miss the rest of the series with an achilles injury.
England's Kevin Pietersen is a past master at batting in top gear but it was learning to shift down that helped him end a long lean spell with a double century in the second Ashes Test on Sunday.
Alastair Cook continued to defy Australia's bowlers with a clinical unbeaten 136 to help drive England to a first-innings lead of 72 with eight wickets in hand after second day of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide on Saturday.
England backed up a sensational three-wicket start to bowl out Australia for 245 on an extraordinary opening day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
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