India head into the third Test with momentum after dampening Australia's Christmas cheer with a dominant eight-wicket win in the second match in Melbourne.
The Queensland all-rounder offers another slow bowling option with his leg-spin at the Sydney Cricket Ground, traditionally Australia's most spin-friendly wicket.
Usman Khawaja's fairytale comeback has presented Australia with a selection headache, and captain Pat Cummins conceded it would be hard to drop the in-form batsman from the fifth and final Ashes test against England in Hobart next week.
Can this Indian side, which has shown character and courage after the debacle in the first Test at Adelaide, stun the Aussies at their favourite hunting ground?
England will have to conjure something special to deny Australia a 4-0 lead in the five-test series and Thorpe said the batsmen should take a leaf out of Bairstow's brave first-innings hundred despite a thumb injury.
Will Pucovski rode his luck, but his 62 was the best return for an Australian opener in the series so far and helped his side into a strong position at the end of Day 1 of the third Test against India at the SCG.
India will not face arch-rivals Pakistan in the group stages with both teams placed in separate groups.
The Indian team has been fined 20 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the third T20 International against Australia in Sydney on Tuesday.
'When it comes to cricket, I try to entertain as much as possible whether it's for good or for bad..., thankfully, it was on the good end of things.'
Australia made it to the ICC women's T20 World Cup final, coming through a nerve-shredding semi-final against South Africa in Sydney on Thursday. They'll face India at the MCG on March 8 - International Women's Day. India's semi-final against England was abandoned without a ball bowled.
'Well done to all the boys and the management. Enjoy this historic feat lads'
Vihari shared a picture before departing from Australia.
Former cricketers Mohammad Kaif and Wasim Jaffer hailed pacer Siraj for his commitment towards playing for the country.
The coach also launched a book 'India's 71-Year Test: The Journey to Triumph in Australia'.
Among the countries that have directly qualified for the Super 12 are defending champions Australia and runner-up New Zealand.
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane reveals India's game plan going into the final day of the third Test against Australia.
Australia coach Justin Langer called it a shame and one of his greatest "pet hates" after some spectators directed racial abuse at India's players during the third Test and were expelled from the Sydney Cricket Ground for their behaviour.
Ponting also said that Pujara's approach put more pressure on other Indian batsmen and the right-handed batsman needs to be wary of this fact
Steve Smith scored Australia's first century of the series to drive the hosts to 338 all out but India stood firm with 96 for two to leave the third Test in the balance at the end of the second day in Sydney on Friday.
India, however, went to Gabba and scripted a record chase of 328 with 19 balls remaining on the final day for a thrilling three-wicket win, which also sealed the series.
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.
Is it really a 'home advantage' for Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground?
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Monday lauded the efforts of Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin in saving the third Test against Australia and urged the Indian team to go for a series win in the final match in Brisbane.
Bumrah endured a tough and unrewarding day on the field during the third Test at the SCG.
Bumrah had a unique and new outing on the field when he whacked bowlers all around the park.
England must treat every Test match like an Ashes series decider as part of their red-ball reset, former captain Nasser Hussain said.
England, who finished with three wins and a loss in the group stage, face India on Thursday in a repeat semifinal of the 2018 edition.
Following is a fact box on the final Test of the four-match series between Australia and India
"This was his ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground," Clarke said. "This is where he played his last game, this is where his spirit will live forever."
Natarajan was added to the Test squad for the remaining two Test matches against Australia on January 1.
Badminton's governing body (BWF) said on Wednesday it will work with Thai health authorities to ensure "comfortable" COVID-19 testing conditions at the Thailand Open after Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth was left with a bloody nose following a test.
Australia were on 103 for 2 in the second innings, a lead of 197 runs, at the close of play on the third day of the third Test against India, in Sydney, on Saturday.
Images from the T20 world Cup Super 12 match between India and the Netherlands, at Sydney Cricket Ground, on Thursday.
A bottle cork was hurled at India's first-innings centurion K L Rahul from the spectators stand during the pre-lunch session while an English fan, dressed in India colours, entered the field before tea, in two separate incidents on the third day of the second Test, at Lord's, on Saturday.
Wins in Adelaide and Melbourne had given Virat Kohli's side a 2-1 lead going into the final Test and a draw was enough to secure a breakthrough that had eluded all previous Indian touring parties for 71 years.
England have lost the first three matches in the Ashes series and are playing only for pride in the remaining two Tests in Sydney and Hobart.
Australia coach Justin Langer says playing cricket without fans in the stadiums is an option worth considering if it helped get the game going again after the worst of the coronavirus crisis has passed. As with most sports, efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the shutdown of cricket around the world and Langer thinks teams would be keen to play in empty stadiums upon resumption if the alternative is a longer furlough.
Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari put themselves in the reckoning for next week's first Test with contrasting hundreds as India thoroughly dominated Australia A on Day 2 of the day-night practice match, in Sydney, on Saturday.
A Canberra-based singer/song writer Jack Biilmann has paid a musical tribute to the late Phillip Hughes, releasing a track called 'Forever Unbeaten'.
India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ecstatic after running Steve Smith out with a direct hit in the ongoing third Test against Australia, calling it his "best ever" fielding effort which he can watch any number of times.
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