India will continue to target Australia's under-pressure openers Alex Carey and Aaron Finch as they seek to add a one-day series win to their first ever Test series victory in the third and final match in Melbourne on Friday.
India are welcome to subject Steve Smith to a bouncer barrage but the batsman is well-equipped to succeed
Gearing up for a gruelling tour of Australia, the Indian team on Saturday began outdoor training with a light session after the entire contingent tested negative for COVID-19.
An ESPNCricinfo report earlier stated that the Boxing Day Test will start from the traditional date of December 26 in Melbourne, following the pink-ball game at the Adelaide Oval from December 17.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) expects technology that enables the third umpire to check for no balls to be available for the remainder of the Ashes series after it broke down ahead of the ongoing first Test.
'We had a long chat here on the boundary talking about it and he's worried: he can't get his family out of Afghanistan and there's a lot of things happening for him.'
The reticence of South Africa's players to participate in a day-night Test has resulted in Cricket Australia unable to confirm whether a pink-ball match would go ahead against the Proteas.
Indian cricket team's much-anticipated tour of Australia will begin either in Adelaide or Brisbane instead of favoured Perth after Western Australia state government made it clear that there won't be any relaxation in quarantine guidelines in their territory.
The games were scheduled to start at 1000 am local time (2300 GMT) but did not get underway until about 1130 after Victoria state's environment watchdog said air quality had plunged to "hazardous" levels overnight.
The part-time spinner must now have his bowling action tested within 14 days but can continue to bowl at the international level until the test results are out.
Isa Guha feels that Indian team going into the first Test looks way more settled compared to the Australian side
Steve Smith and David Warner's first batting partnership on home soil since their ball-tampering suspensions helped Australia to a series-sealing nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Brisbane.
'We do the necessary checks (and) Will's good to go, so we're hopeful that he'll be fine all the way through.'
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12 match between South Africa and India, in Perth, on Sunday.
'It is not good that you compare a legend with a youngster'
'Pant was scared of... well, nothing actually'
It may be possible that both Bumrah and Shami will play the ODIs where they can bowl their 10 over quota and then switch to Test match mode
While the venue has not been finalised yet, the pink ball game is likely to be held either in Adelaide or Perth. Hosting the game in one of these venues makes sense given the better time slot for the Indian broadcast audience.
With no Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian line-up, the 'Men In Blue' are missing a trick. And despite Mohammed Shami's brilliance in the warm-up game against Australia on the other day in Brisbane, the bowling unit doesn't inspire much confidence.
India bowling coach Bharat Arun likens R Ashwin to fine wine
India will be hoping to repeat their success of two years ago when they registered their first-ever Test series win in Australia, while the hosts would be keen to avenge that loss.
World No 1 Test batsman Steve Smith is looking forward to India's tour of Australia, saying he can't wait to play in the much-anticipated series which will be "incredibly special". Smith also spoke about his friendship with India captain Virat Kohli, describing him a "terrific guy".
Ishant Sharma bowled full tilt at the National Cricket Academy with an aim to get fit for India's four-match Test series in Australia,
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has no doubt wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, currently nursing a double hamstring injury, will be fit for India's four-Test series in Australia, beginning next month.
ICC's proposal to introduce four-day Tests has met with stiff opposition
Australia captain Tim Paine said the chances of their first ever test against Afghanistan going ahead are "not looking good" with the Taliban unwilling to let women play cricket and questioned why the game's governing body had remained quiet on the issue.
Paceman Mitchell Starc retains his place in the side despite what was perceived to be a sub-par performance in Adelaide, and will be looking for a strong performance in conditions which are expected to favour his skills at the new Perth Stadium.
On the men's side, the fields have already been divided into two ATP 250 tournaments.
The first Test of the four-match series, beginning on December 17 will be played at the Adelaide Oval in a day-night contest. Australia have an unbeaten record in day-night Tests having won all the pink ball Tests they have played.
Australia is set to play two day-night Tests against South Africa and Pakistan next southern summer in a revamp of home international scheduling, according to reports.
'We cannot get complacent for a second with or without Virat. So we're going to have to be on our toes all summer and we're looking forward to that.'
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the interesting numbers from Day 4 of the India-England Test at Lord's.
The 60,000-seat arena will host its first Test after a rich 47-year run at the nearby WACA, located on the opposite bank of the SwanRiver, and the grassy drop-in wicket unveiled on Thursday has fuelled anticipation of a pace bowler's paradise.
Australia are looking forward to getting back into competitive cricket in the first Test against India next week in the wake of Phillip Hughes's tragic death, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said on Saturday.
Australia and India are currently gearing up for the four-match Test series. The first Test will get underway on Thursday at the Adelaide Oval and it will be a day-night contest.
Pucovski was ruled out after suffering a concussion in the first warm-up game between Australia A and India A.
He is not seeing what perhaps everyone else around him is seeing: An over-commercialised player who is really an under-performing batsman, observes Sandeep Goyal.
Virat Kohli's breezy 85 went in vain as Australia prevailed by 12 runs in the final Twenty20 International to avoid a series whitewash
Aaron Finch's side will head to Sunday's decider in Hobart buoyed by Australia's first win in the short format since January and having delivered some badly needed cheer for the struggling cricket nation.
Former fast bowler Geoff Lawson believes the current Indian attack is one the best he has seen in a long time and will challenge the Australian batsmen in the four-Test series.
