Defending champions Australia are grappling with injury concerns to three key players, including captain Aaron Finch who is uncertain to lead the side in their crucial T20 World Cup match against Afghanistan on Friday.
When Kashmir willow sees biz boom and cricket raises Afghan hopes
Notwithstanding the 2-0 scoreline in favour of the home team, former Australian all-rounder Michael Bevan feels Indians have a good chance to bounce back in Melbourne in the third cricket Test, starting Friday.
Paine knows well that he isn't a powerhouse performer like his predecessor but believes that he has been playing his role to perfection in the current Australian set up.
'We probably didn't think it was going to move around like it did. It was tough but Jimmy (Anderson) was magnificent' 'I think we're still reasonably confident, obviously the last two days haven't gone to plan but I think we're still in front of the game'
Australia's hapless performances in the 2-0 series loss to South Africa came in for huge criticism from the country's local media on Wednesday, with demands for heads to roll in both the dressing room and the corridors of power at Cricket Australia.
Australia enter their World Cup quarter-final as runaway favourites against Pakistan in Adelaide on Friday, but will be wary of an enigmatic team that have proved a major thorn in their side at past tournaments.
Out of India's total tally of 842 runs in five matches, the duo has rattled up 471 runs -- which accounts to 55 percent of the runs -- at a strike rate of 160.
Australia captain Steve Smith described England's James Anderson as "one of the biggest sledgers in the game" on Friday as the heat rose off-field at the Adelaide Oval on the eve of the second Test.
Following the retirements of Chris Rogers, captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson, Smith will lead a team in transition into the three-match series which wraps up with cricket's first day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
The Men in Blue have never won a bilateral ODI contest on Australian soil.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is in talks with British manufacturer 'Dukes' for supply of pink balls which can be tested before zeroing in on a particular brand for the proposed day-night Test matches later this year.
Delhi's young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant batted himself into the record books as he struck the fastest ever hundred by an Indian in a first-class game by hitting a 48-ball ton against Jharkhand in a Ranji Trophy encounter in Thumba, Kerala, on Tuesday.
Tendulkar, who had earlier voiced his concern about tackling the dew factor, said the Indian cricket think-tank should do a postmortem after the match gets over.
The International Cricket Council has admitted that it deliberately tries to put India and Pakistan in the same group at world events as it is hugely important for the success of tournaments.
Factbox on the fifth Ashes Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Thursday:
India are scheduled to play four Tests in Australia. Nasser Hussain advised caution to Rohit Sharma at the start of the innings.
Australia captain Steven Smith defended his decision to declare late and concede a draw four overs early in the third Test on Tuesday, saying India had contributed to the non-result with their tactics in the morning.
Virat Kohli's elegant unbeaten 90 and some crafty bowling by their spinners secured India's comprehensive 37-run victory over Australia in the first Twenty20 International at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup
Cricket fans across the country will continue to watch the World Cup matches on Doordarshan.
Australia have drawn inspiration from a miraculous draw against Pakistan two months ago and will be going for a win on day five of the first Test against India, in Adelaide, on Monday.
Australia opening batsman David Warner is unsure how he will cope with an emotional first return this week to the venue in Sydney where Phillip Hughes was fatally struck by a bouncer.
Opening batsman Marcus Harris has been called into Australia's first Test squad as the hosts count the cost of a number of injuries ahead of the series opener against India in Adelaide.
'That was a morning where if I wanted to fly, I would have flown as well.'
'Behind the scenes, he's into it every day, making sure everyone is okay. I've been so proud of him as a leader. He's a different leader to Michael, to Ricky, to Taylor, to Waugh. And he's working out his own identity as a captain'
Indian assistant coach Sanjay Bangar highlighted the lower order collapse as one of the areas the team can improve
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon fought hard to cement his place in the Test team and now hopes to convince selectors of his white ball prowess in time for the World Twenty20 in India.
Sydney and Canberra are set to host the white-ball leg of India's tour of Australia after the New South Wales government allowed the visiting team to train during its mandatory quarantine upon arrival.
Pakistan grabbed a World Cup quarter-final berth on Sunday following their seven-wicket victory against Ireland that also cleared West Indies' last eight passage from Pool B.
Bangladesh staved off a late fightback to beat England by 15 runs and enter the quarter-finals of the World Cup from Group B in Adelaide on Monday. They joined New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka in the last eight stage.
Atletico Madrid have taken the decision to cut the wages of their staff, including the players, to ease the financial burden on the club as they struggle with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the La Liga club said
Sachin Tendulkar gave batsmen a peek into his mantra for success.
England's Jos Buttler struck a belligerent unbeaten 100 to set up a 16-run win over Australia in the third one-day international on Sunday, as the touring side took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh believes the defending champions have found form at the right time and sent out a warning to other teams in the ICC World Cup.
Opening the bowling for Pakistan in a World Cup match with India is enough to get any paceman excited. For Sohail Khan, playing his first international since September 2011, that excitement briefly got the better of him on Sunday.
Images from Day 3 of the 3rd Ashes Test played at the WACA in Perth on Saturday
Check out if your favourite Bollywood star has made it to this prestigious annual list!
(Ashwin) was hard to score off and Virat set some really good fields. It wasn't easy but hopefully we can keep finding a way, says Australian debutant Marcus Harris
There are no major, big-ticket banners proclaiming the same, restaurant and coffee shop helpers express surprise when you say we are here to cover the World Cup and even those who have an inkling that the tournament has begun are awaiting the knock-out stage of the tournament.
