Australia took the upper hand in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, ending day two on 144-8 in their second innings with a lead of 218 runs after wickets tumbled freely again on Thursday.
Shubman Gill's unbeaten 129 in Delhi wasn't just another century; it was history etched in numbers and intent.
Steve Smith was facing throwdowns from team-mate Marnus Labuschagne in the nets when the ball struck his right thumb.
Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne for next week's first Test against West Indies in Barbados
Australia ruthlessly completed a 159-run victory over West Indies in the first Test in Barbados on Friday after Josh Hazlewood's five-wicket masterclass broke the hosts' resistance on a pitch that deteriorated into a bowler's paradise.
Marnus Labuschagne arrived at the crease in Perth with a plan: channel his inner Cheteshwar Pujara.
Former pacer Mitchell Johnson reckons that Australia should drop out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne from the playing XI for the day-night Adelaide Test against India.
India were dealt a solid blow on Saturday, Day 2 of the fifth Test against Australia, as skipper and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah left the Sydney Cricket Ground for precautionary scans after feeling some discomfort in the post-lunch session.
Marnus Labuschagne believes India's memorable fourth innings run chase at the Gabba from 2021 is of little relevance heading into the final day of a gripping Boxing Day Test.
Konstas has been drafted in to replace Marnus Labuschagne, who opened in the World Test Championship final alongside Khawaja but failed to impress as Australia lost to South Africa by five wickets.
Glenn McGrath said his prediction this time is based on how England were held to a 2-2 series draw by India in the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy five-Test series.
The Aussie cricketers were joined by their families on the field as they savoured a series win that came after a decade.
Labuschagne, known for his ability to score runs, especially against India, reminisced about the first time he saw Kohli don India's Test colours in the 2018 series.
Labuschagne said he is focused on winning matches for Australia, not on convincing anyone about his return to form.
Australia must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Sam Konstas has vowed to take a more conventional approach than in his early Test appearances for Australia
After a brilliant 269 in 387 balls in the first innings, Gill was dismissed for an entertaining 161 off 162 balls with 13 fours and 8 sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 99.38.
Australia's opening partnership has been the subject of much debate since David Warner retired and remains unresolved less than a month before the World Test Championship final against South Africa.
Australia and South Africa, two teams renowned for their batting prowess, will go head-to-head in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, aiming to secure a place in the Champions Trophy semifinals.
Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for 231 in the hosts' second innings and then chased down the target of 75 losing the lone wicket of opener Travis Head.
Shubman Gill fell to a bizarre dismissal to a loose shot off the final ball of the morning session.
Australia will have to dust off the cobwebs but are still fancied to successfully defend their World Test Championship crown against equally ring-rusty South Africa in the final at Lord's.
West Indies' fearsome bowling attacks of old, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph tore through Australia on Wednesday
Images from the first One-Day International between England and Australia, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Thursday.
Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.
If the humiliation of India being able to declare their second innings on 487/6 reflected poorly on the bowling unit, it was the Australian batting line-up dismissed for 104 in their first innings that bore the brunt of the blame.
A B de Villiers described South Africa's squad as a well-balanced unit and backed them to pull off an upset against defending champions Australia.
Australia's historic pedigree in cricket's biggest tournaments will count for nothing when they run into an Afghanistan side that is fast cementing its place in the game's top table in the Champions Trophy match in Lahore on Friday.
Young spin-bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly will replace injured Matthew Short in the Australian squad for the knock-out stages of the ongoing Champions Trophy.
Australia will be aiming to become the first-ever side to defend their ICC WTC mace as they take on Proteas in the 'Ultimate Test' from June 11 onwards at Lord's.
Change will be a key theme for both the West Indies and Australia in their upcoming three-Test series in the Caribbean with the visitors set to field a remodelled batting line-up and the hosts being led out for the first time by Roston Chase.
In a high-pressure clash against India in the Champions Trophy semi-finals, Steve Smith seemed to have destiny on his side.
Australia, who have already secured their place in the final of the World Test Championship against South Africa, won the opening Test, also in Galle, by an innings and 242 runs.
Even with the pressure of planning the Rajasthan Royals' IPL auction strategy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, former Team India head coach Rahul Dravid couldn't resist keeping an eye on the enthralling opening of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth.
Taking aim at senior players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, among others, he said that if their aim was to prolong their send-offs till after the Ashes, it was a wrong mindset.
Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday.
Images from Day 3 of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of the first Test from June 25 onwards at Barbados, Joseph said as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald, "To take 13 wickets across the series was a good feeling. A lot has changed. There were a lot of opportunities that came my way."
Australia finished second in the league table during the 2023-25 WTC cycle, behind South Africa, having claimed 67.54 per cent of the points on offer to them.
Adam Gilchrist has called upon the struggling Marnus Labuschagne to stop overthinking his approach and advised him to bat more freely in the second Test against India.
