'I would have picked Ashwin for his batting, let alone his bowling. That is why I can't believe he isn't playing because he has got five Test centuries as well. It is very strange.'
With pacer Mohammed Shami in menacing form, India holds the edge in the bowling department against Australia, reckons batting great Gundappa Viswanath, who wants skipper Rohit Sharma to convert his aggressive starts to a big hundred in the World Cup final.
Ben Stokes played another magnificent innings, but the England skipper wasn't able to finish the job as Australian won the second Ashes Test at Lord's.
Smith said the team trusted the security arrangements in place.
Former Windies skipper Daren Ganga believes a change of franchise might help Sunil Narine.
Steve Smith will be in quarantine for six days after which he can join his mates for practice sessions.
'I find it hard to stop visualising the game or shadow batting'
India has lost three finals and on four occasion it bit dust at the semifinal stage. It also made an exit at the preliminary stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Pat Cummins will not play the third Test against India in Indore starting March 1
Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell from New Zealand. Travis Head from Australia. Gerald Coetzee from South Africa. Harry Brook from England.
Josh Hazlewood was the pick of Australia's bowlers, taking 3-22 in addition to his miserly Super Over, capping a brilliant weekend for the 31-year-old after he was bought for $1 million in the Indian Premier League auction on Saturday.
Australia's scheduled one-day international series against Afghanistan in India has been postponed, the cricket boards of the competing countries said on Sunday, leaving players free to fulfil their Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments.
Ahead of the WTC final between India and Australia, Ricky Ponting picked Australia's playing XI.
Both Prasidh and Avesh Khan lack variety and innovation as they keep pitching the ball at the same length. Both bowl in late 130s or early 140s but consistently pitch it back of the length and the nature of Indian tracks make it a cannon fodder for batters.
The Australian team will prepare for the six Tests by undergoing a high-intensity training camp in Beckenham, featuring centre-wicket practice and net sessions.
'I really hope we've inspired a new generation.'
England's exhilarating run chase to battle back into the Ashes series was even too much for captain Ben Stokes!
Peter Handscomb admitted that the Nagpur track 'tricked' the visiting side
Gavaskar said Indian batters erred persistently around their personal landmarks, citing a pattern.
McDonald said team management were continually talking to senior players about their plans.
Dinesh Chandimal smashed a maiden double hundred and Prabath Jayasuriya claimed 12 wickets in a dream debut to script Sri Lanka's series-levelling victory by an innings and 39 runs in the second Test against Australia in Galle on Monday.
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has endorsed Pat Cummins as the Test side's next captain and Steve Smith as the fast bowler's deputy while ruling out himself as a potential leader for the team.
Ravi Shastri has said Rohit Sharma did not show a "positive mindset"
With a massive 1,608 runs in the WTC 2021-2023 cycle, Khawaja was the major reason Australia qualified for the WTC final.
It took Usman Khawaja three trips to India and a tweaked batting approach to register his first Test hundred in the country.
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen berated the England team for their performance on the first day of the second Test match of the Ashes.
Travis Head hammered a solid ton at the Oval as Australia dominated the proceedings over India on Day 1 of the WTC Final.
Ahead of the 2018 IPL, Smith was the only player retained by the Royals for Rs 12.5 crore.
India could field three spinners against Australia in the final.
Steve Smith might be taking a wee bit more time to adjust to sub-continental tracks but his poor returns in the first two ODIs against India is least of concern for the Australian team management, senior speedster Mitchell Starc said on Tuesday.
'For him to go away for an eight-week tournament and quarantine before the tournament starts - call it 11 weeks. I don't think he is going to give up 11 weeks away from his family and his partner for US$ 380,000.'
With the pitch a spinner's paradise, Nathan Lyon stood up and rallied his team back into contention.
Australia pace man Mitchell Starc said he still feels some discomfort in his finger after snapping a tendon in a fielding mishap in December but he expects to return to the side.
Ahead of the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sourav Ganguly gave his prediction for the final two Tests between a confident India and a struggling Australian side.
Images from the ICC Men's ODI World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Australia at the Ekana Sports City Stadium in Lucknow.
How the world reacted to Smith, Bancroft and Lehmann
'My job is to fix it if our top order doesn't come off'
Australia, with Steve Smith back in their line-up, will retain the Ashes with victory in the fourth Test, while a win for England would set up a decider at the Oval next week.
'It will be an interesting time when he stops playing for Australia and writes a book'
The Indian team, set to play the second Test against Australia from Friday, had to switch hotels in New Delhi.
