From the commentary box in Vadodara, Harsha Bhogle delivered a blunt reminder: in the rush to judge young cricketers online, India may be losing sight of what actually matters -- performances on the field.
India's absolute dominance at home will come under examination when they meet a determined New Zealand in the decisive third ODI at the high-scoring Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, with the three-match series locked at 1-1.
The Opening Ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 17, at Rod Laver Arena. The Australian Open main draw begins on January 18.
Expect nothing less than hostility, fire and close contests as Ben Stokes' England come armed with their Bazball philosophy to try and get the better of a depleted Australia.
Usman Khawaja said he hoped his long Test career, which will come to an end with his retirement after the fifth Ashes clash, inspires youngsters who are "different" that playing cricket for Australia is possible.
Was devastated after 2023 World Cup loss, felt the sport had taken everything out of me: Rohit
As 20 wickets fell on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday, the carnage prompted sharp criticism from former England cricketers.
The pitch used for the India vs South Africa first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in November has received a "satisfactory" rating from International Cricket Council.
Having hit Western Australia's golf links before being beaten by eight wickets in Perth, England's enthusiasts will have access to a selection of championship courses to play a round before a refreshing dip in the Pacific Ocean.
'He's a quality player, it was a matter of time for him to score.'
Warner and Head have turned up on numerous occasions for the Baggy Greens laying the foundation for their successful totals.
Review technology under fire again in Adelaide Ashes Test
Carlos Alcaraz beat his great rival Jannik Sinner 7-5, 7-6(8) to win their Hyundai Card Super Match exhibition event in Incheon, South Korea, on Saturday that marked the start of the season for the world's top two men's tennis players.
Save Shreyas Iyer, who will take a lot more time to get fit, others are expected to represent their state teams.
Jason, who also served as Pakistan's head coach in 2024 from April to December, was interacting with his followers on X handle.
Bazball is in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia's spicy pitches.
Iga Swiatek heads into Melbourne Park with the Australian Open title the only gap on her Grand Slam resume, but the world number two is keen to avoid setting herself targets for the new season and says her main goal is to improve her game.
'We've just got to stand up in them certain situations, read the game slightly better (and) just have a little bit of grit and determination about you.'
'The runs from his bat at the top of the order will be crucial for India's success in this five-match series against South Africa.'
England must look to stamp their authority on the Ashes series in Australia early or risk succumbing to yet another defeat Down Under, former England bowler Stuart Broad has warned.
'We've seen glimpses of his brilliance, and hopefully he can build consistency over the next few games heading into the World Cup.'
A B de Villiers described South Africa's squad as a well-balanced unit and backed them to pull off an upset against defending champions Australia.
The overwhelmingly bowler-friendly Melbourne pitch on which 20 wickets fell on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test has prompted Kevin Pietersen and Dinesh Kartik to point out the selective criticism of Indian tracks when spinners get wickets in a heap.
Australia's Lyon angry at being dropped for second Ashes Test
Harman's record as captain untouchable, she has another 4-5 years to offer: Jhulan Goswami
Ravichandran Ashwin's tactical foresight proved spot on as mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy dismissed the dangerous Travis Head early in India's Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia.
The contest between England's dialled-down "Bazball" approach and Australia's more methodical batting could determine who prevails in the Ashes series beginning in Perth on Friday.
Over four decades, the India-Australia ODI rivalry has mirrored the evolution of both teams, from Australia's supremacy in the 2000s to India's resurgence post-2010. Come Sunday, this rivalry will be renewed as Shubman Gill will commence his first assignment as ODI captain in the opening game of the three match series, at the Optus stadium in Perth.
The England players have come in for heavy criticism since Australia wrapped up an 82-run win in the third Test in Adelaide on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
The aura of home advantage -- long regarded as a hallmark of India's Test side -- seemed secure. But in barely over a year, that fortress has not just cracked, it has collapsed, raising uncomfortable questions about strategy, selection, and temperament.
England have not won a first Ashes Test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978.
'That so many have reached such an advanced stage of their careers without obvious replacements is certainly a reflection of their quality, but will be a matter of concern in the case of more injuries during the series.'
England have not won the Ashes in Australia after losing the first Test since the 1950s but McCullum and Stokes will remain convinced they can turn the series around, just as they did against South Africa in 2022 when they won 2-1 after losing the opener at Lord's.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg believes that the aggressive tone of the ongoing Test series between India and England will be a huge selling point for the match-day tickets of the upcoming Ashes.
Former international batsman Mark Waugh had previously been assisted by former head coach Darren Lehmann in selecting the Twenty20 team.
He also expressed satisfaction with the talent coming through in the Pakistan Shaheens squad and from domestic cricket, and claimed that 3-4 players were ready to step into international cricket.
While the white-ball trophy cabinet kept getting heavier, Team India's fortunes in Test cricket swung wildly between hope and despair in 2025.
Ben Stokes' defiant resistance in the third Ashes Test ended in visible fury on Friday as Mitchell Starc once again got the better of England's captain on Day 3 in Adelaide.
Shreyas Iyer will take centre stage for Punjab Kings at next week's IPL auction in Abu Dhabi, stepping in as the franchise's lead decision-maker at the table as PBKS plot their final moves for the 2026 season.
Zimbabwe will play their group matches in Sri Lanka, where pitches are expected to favour spinners, and Raza was confident that his side has the required skill set in that department.
