A wicket-laden Boxing Day Test at the MCG triggered widespread debate, with former cricketers from both Australia and England questioning whether the pitch offered far too much for the bowlers.
Former stumper Steve Rixon believes Australia has lost their ruthless cutting edge under Ricky Ponting and wants Simon Katich to take over the Test captaincy reins.
'But I can't say regret. I can say that if I had made my comeback earlier, 3-4 years ago or two years ago, then I could have played more matches and performed better.'
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.
'King Bumrah has taken the mantle now. Kohli looks dejected, and this was a crucial knock for him. He has come up short yet again.'
'Only he knows whether he has the hunger to go on.'
'Physical contact in Melbourne and the sandpaper incident in Sydney were out of line.'
Katich noted that since Bumrah rarely bowls loose deliveries, the Australians must be strategically good in their approach.
The friction started during India's arrival in Perth last month, when the Australian media criticised the visitors for holding private training sessions at the WACA.
Since first opening the batting together in January 2023, the duo has been prolific in 50 overs cricket.
Mohammed Siraj charges down the wicket towards his teammates, without checking the umpire's decision when he thinks that he has got a batter out, said former Australia captain Mark Taylor.
Katich agrees that if Mitchell Marsh isn't contributing with the ball, then Australia's National Selection Panel will need to have a look at the combination considering the all-rounder's poor returns with the bat.
'In the middle, he just seemed to have lost touch...So at the end of the day, when he gets out...when you are facing the strike in the first ball of the innings and you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, you have got a strike rate of 118, that's not what your team expects from you.'
Former Australia player Shane Watson said star all-rounder Cameron Green has all the means to succeed as a Test opener.
Elgar's tactics and decision-making were terrible, says Simon Katich
Rinku Singh has put up a strong show in the first two matches of the five-match T20I series against Australia.
The dawn of a new era had begun under Sourav Ganguly's aggressive leadership. With Ganguly and Coach John Wright at the helm India had transitioned into a force to be reckoned with.
RCB review contracts of Hesson, Bangar; franchise may part ways with coaches
Sri Lankans Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera were included in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad for the second leg of the IPL in UAE, starting next month.
The SRH management, headed by Kavya Maran, hasn't yet issued any public statement over Katich's resignation.
Simon Katich has been named the head coach of their Cape Town franchise in the new T20 league in South Africa.
Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne feels Ricky Ponting was lucky to survive the axe despite average batting, as the selectors chose to drop an 'easy' prey in Simon Katich.
Tom Moody returns as head coach after fellow-Australian Trevor Bayliss quit following the 2021 season.
Simon Katich, who has been nominated by Cricket Australia's longest-serving director, Mark Taylor, to succeed him after resigning, turned down the offer sighting media commitments.
'Personally, I think some of the younger players actually enjoy the fact that there will be a little less pressure with less people at the ground, creating all that noise and distraction.'
Former India batsman Sanjay Bangar was on Wednesday appointed as the batting consultant of Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the upcoming season.
Injured batsman Simon Katich retained his place, while Australia's national selection panel picked an unchanged 13-man squad for the inconsequential third and final Test against Pakistan, commencing on January 14 in Hobart.
Ahead of Thursday's Indian Premier League player auction, Royal Challengers Banglore captain Virat Kohli assured the fans that they will cover all bases and pick a strong team for the next edition of IPL. Ahead of this year's IPL auction, RCB had released 12 players from their squad, while retaining 13.
RCB appoints Hesson as director of cricket operations, Katich named head coach
'How are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there's people not being able to get accepted into hospital?'
RCB skipper Virat Kohli will join the squad on Thursday.
'Very excited, have got butterflies in my stomach, we have worked so hard'
Kallis joined the side in 2011 as a player before replacing Trevor Bayliss as head coach in October 2015.
RCB will next take on Rajasthan Royals on Thursday here at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Featuring Dale Steyn, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Shanker Basu thus made a return to the RCB dugout after his successful stint with the national team ended with India's semi-final exit from this year's ICC ODI World Cup
The BCCI suspended the IPL 'till further notice' in the wake of the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic. RCB coach Simon Katich said the BCCI would leave no stone unturned to stage the IPL this year.
Bangar comes with vast experience having served as the batting coach of the Indian men's senior team for five years from 2014 when Ravi Shastri took over as team director. He continued in the role till the 2019 World Cup before being replaced by Vikram Rathour.
Perth Scorchers' campaign has ended in the Champions League Twenty20 but the Aussie ace Simon Katich is impressed.
Images from the Champions League T20 match between Mumbai Indians and Perth Scorchers in Delhi, on Wednesday.
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