England fast bowler Steven Finn has been ruled out of the Ashes series against Australia after scans showed he has torn his left knee cartilage, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Tuesday.
Ben Stokes' participation in the Ashes would be an "absolute bonus" but England are preparing contingency plans after writing off the all-rounder for the series, coach Trevor Bayliss said.
Coach Trevor Bayliss thinks England left some "scars" on the Australia team during the second Ashes Test and can still enjoy success Down Under despite being 2-0 down with three matches to play.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers.
Six of the CA players were making their first class debut, while seven of them were also aged 21 or younger
Former skippers Ian Chappell and Mark Taylor feel next week's first Test between India and Australia in Brisbane should go ahead as it would help the cricketers and the fans to come out and share the mourning of the loss of Phillip Hughes.
Rahul was the only prominent batsman to miss out on a significant score in India's 358 all out on day two of the four-day tour game in Sydney.
But says pressure is on under-performing George Bailey
Just to clear the air, the first ball of the game, each game, should just be a bouncer, reckons Merv Hughes.
Ashwin said bowling in partnerships will be of paramount importance, especially since India will be missing a fifth bowler in injured Hardik Pandya.
Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris has declared himself a certain starter for the first Test against India but cannot say the same for all of his team mates a day after Phillip Hughes' funeral.
Australia have named Michael Clarke in a 12-man squad for the first Test against India starting in Brisbane next week, but the hamstrung captain must prove his fitness in a tour match starting on Friday.
West Indies have said they are embracing their underdog status for the three-Test series against Australia, which starts in Hobart on Thursday, but the reality is they have very little choice in the matter.
India's senior batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is expecting a strong showing from Ravichandran Ashwin in the upcoming Test series against Australia.
With the year sprinting to a close, we bring you, in pictures, some of the best action from the sports world.
The mood in the Indian camp was summed up best by the skipper after a green pitch was unveiled on eve of the maiden Test at the new facility.
Prithvi Shaw, Jason Sangha and Mujeeb Zadran are among the cricketers whose performances will be watched keenly in the upcoming ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Should India bolster its batting by including Rohit Sharma at No 6? Pick India's playing XI for the first Test.
'We hope the boys can find the inner strength to play the game in the way Phillip would have wanted in Adelaide' 'We left a bit of heart in Macksville yesterday'
Meanwhile, Australia skipper Michael Clarke, who was entangled in a war of words with Cricket Australia over his availability, is still a doubtful starter for the first Test following question marks over his fitness.
West Indies have lost their last four Tests, two to Australia and two to Sri Lanka, and have not enjoyed a single win in Australia since the 1996-97 tour.
The shocking death of batsman Phillip Hughes on Thursday has cast doubts on whether the first Test between Australia and India will go ahead in Brisbane next week.
Penpix of England players in England's Ashes squad.
The Indian pace attack is getting much attention Down Under, with Varun Aaron being singled out for special praise by Australian cricketers. They feel the youngster's biggest assets - pace and bounce - have troubled the visitors on previous tours Down Under.
With the cricket world still mourning the tragic death of Phillip Hughes, the first Test between India and Australia next week was on Saturday put off to an unspecified date and might even be cancelled to pay homage to the young batsman.
Rajneesh Gupta gives us a list of noteworthy statistics from first-class and Ranji Trophy
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