'Ben (Stokes) has done it before, he has done special things in an England shirt.'
With neighbouring states starting to close the borders with South Australia to try to contain the outbreak, Cricket Australia shifted international players from their Twenty20 and one-day squads north to Sydney.
He has since returned for key assignments, including the 2022 T20 World Cup victory and both the Ashes and ODI World Cup campaigns in 2023.
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis and spinner Adam Zampa will miss Australia's first one-day international against India in Perth on Sunday, Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.
All-rounder Max Maxwell, who has been sidelined by a wrist injury, will come in for the last three games, while Test certainty Josh Hazlewood will skip the last three games.
The Adelaide Oval is set to host a thrilling day-night Test match between India and Australia, starting on Friday December 6th.
Rohit Sharma followed up his knock of 73 in the second ODI in Adelaide with a match-winning unbeaten 121 in Sydney to be named the Player of the Series.
Australia held their nerve in a tense chase, edging past India by two wickets to seal the series 2-0 despite a late fightback from the visitors on Thursday in Adelaide.
The others to arrive after a delayed flight were K L Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy along with some members of the support staff.
England batter Harry Brook has cautioned against underestimating Australia in the Ashes series, even as doubts linger over the availability of their captain and fast bowler, Pat Cummins, for the opener in Perth.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
Josh Hazlewood, who was recalled after recovering from a side injury that ruled him out of the second Test, did not start on the ground on day four at the Gabba on Tuesday and bowled only one over before chatting to a team physio during a drinks break.
Cheteshwar Pujara was the cornerstone of the Indian batting line-up in Tests, featuring in 103 matches in which he scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries.
Usman Khawaja is doubtful for the day-night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide later this month after the Australian top order batsman re-injured his left hamstring while fielding at the WACA on Saturday.
Australia trail 1-0 in the five-Test series against India after being thrashed in the Perth opener by 295 runs.
Cummins remains a doubtful for the Ashes opener at Perth starting on November 21 but Marsh is among the players who would be in fray for selection for the opening Test of the five-match series.
Adelaide Oval's head curator Damian Hough has also promised a 6mm grass cover to ensure that the pink ball doesn't wear out early during the day-night Test, starting on Friday.
On Saturday, Rohit and Virat turned back the clock, delivering a vintage special with their refined strokeplay to silence their critics.
India were facing with a herculean task of preventing a 'whitewash' after conceding a huge first innings lead of 332 runs in the fourth and final Test in Adelaide on Thursday. India folded up for 272 in the first innings. Australia were 50 for three in the second innings enjoying an overall lead of 382 to further consolidate their poistion and push for a 4-0 rout.
Kohli's farewell came during a turbulent Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, a place once synonymous with his rise.
The 32-year-old Cummins would be watching the action unfold from the sidelines due to a back injury.
Former India players Maninder Singh and Chetan Chauhan have thrown their weight behind an "aggressive and impressive" Virat Kohli, saying the skipper was correct in going for victory rather than trying to save the first Test against Australia in Adelaide on Saturday.
Virat Kohli, 36, and Rohit Sharma, 38, are active internationally only in the 50-overs format but their future beyond the three-match series is uncertain.
With noses bloodied and pride stung from the pounding in Perth, Australia will look to hit back with the pink ball in the second Test against India at Adelaide Oval.
South Africa have brought back spinner Imran Tahir in one of two changes to their team for this week's second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
With no ODI series in Australia in the next two years, it is impossible to think that the legendary duo will again be seen Down Under in India blues.
Cricket Australia are expected to announce over the next few days that the fifth Test, scheduled for Jan. 14-18 at Perth Stadium, will be switched to another city because of Western Australia's hard line on quarantine.
The opening day drew more than 50,000 fans making it the fourth highest attendance ever for a day of Test cricket at the Adelaide Oval.
Rohit's numbers with the willow has been a bit underwhelming during the five home Tests but those were played on difficult tracks.
'Shami has been India's best bowler for a while. He may not get the amount of wickets Jasprit Bumrah gets, but he's the full package and is more consistent than the rest.'
Australian captain Michael Clarke was reportedly involved in an injury scare during training for the second Ashes Test against England at Adelaide, although the fears later seemed unfounded with the captain batting in the nets.
Shane Watson hopes to be fit to bat but will not be able bowl if selected to play in this week's second Test against South Africa, the Australian all-rounder said on Monday.
"He needs to rotate strike, keep the scoreboard moving": Pathan on Virat ahead of 3rd Sydney ODI
England backed up a sensational three-wicket start to bowl out Australia for 245 on an extraordinary opening day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
The 3rd Test match in Kingston, Jamaica, will mark Australia's first day-night Test away from home and if they opt for a pace-heavy attack, Scott Boland could come into the side.
As he closes the most revered chapter of his career, here are some of his best Test knocks:
Scans reveal early stage stress fracture in Starc's right foot after he was forced from field for treatment
Mitchell Starc said Australia had left the Perth debacle behind by shutting the "outside noise" following their heavy defeat in the series-opener.