It was a relieved Ben Stokes bidding good riddance to more than a decade of pain for English cricket in Australia on Saturday as his team rallied from the depths to complete a drought-breaking Test win in Melbourne.
England lost the first three matches in the ongoing Ashes series but chased down 175 to win the fourth by four wickets and score a first Test victory in Australia in 15 years.
Australia finished marginally on top at the end of a chaotic opening day of the fourth Ashes Test after an extraordinary 20 wickets fell in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
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.
'I felt they (Rohit and Kohli) had this cycle left. It could be that we don't know what actually transpired.'
Nick Kyrgios will only feature in the doubles at the Australian Open, which begins at Melbourne Park on January 18.
Adani Enterprises' subsidiary Kutch Copper (KCL) and Australian Securities Exchange-listed Caravel Minerals on Thursday signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration on the Caravel Copper Project in Western Australia's Murchison region, for an undisclosed amount, according to a joint statement.
Bencic and Paul coasted through the first set but won a total of just 12 points in the second set as the match went into a tiebreak.
From Royal Challengers Bengaluru's historic first IPL title to star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally breaking the iconic 90-meter mark to India women winning their first cricket World Cup, this was the year of long-awaited victories and record-breaking feats.
A wicket-laden Boxing Day Test at the MCG triggered widespread debate, with former cricketers from both Australia and England questioning whether the pitch offered far too much for the bowlers.
An Ashes tour that began with high hopes of taking home the urn has been reduced to a desperate effort to salvage some last vestiges of dignity for England.
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.
Seeking to restore structure and respect to the longest format, Gill has asked the BCCI for a 15-day preparation window before every Test assignment, a move that has resonated strongly with former cricketers.
'It was good fun. I was obviously really nervous. Super stoked for the boys to get the win.'
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.
If selected, it would be the fast-medium pacer's first Test since taking five wickets in a heavy defeat by New Zealand in Hamilton a year ago.
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 19-year-old BMW driver and the 48-year-old Kia driver were uninjured. No other passengers were in either vehicle.
Konstas, 20, misses out after a poor tour with the bat in the West Indies, while Weatherald has been included after topping the Sheffield Shield runs list
Harman's record as captain untouchable, she has another 4-5 years to offer: Jhulan Goswami
As Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner prepare for their season-opening exhibition match in Incheon, the world's top two men's tennis players floated the prospect of one day playing together in a doubles tournament.
The legendary Ricky Pointing has advised Australia all-rounder Cameron Green to keep things simple and not over analyse or tinker with his game in order to find the right approach in Tests.
Despite piling up runs in domestic cricket and delivering whenever handed a chance for India, Sarfaraz Khan remains on the sidelines -- a situation that former chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has described as both baffling and unfair.
Novak Djokovic said he would step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association, citing concerns over transparency and governance within the organisation.
Nitish Kumar Reddy sustained a left quadriceps injury during the second ODI in Adelaide and was subsequently unavailable for selection for the third ODI
Ashwin highlighted the sheer volume and impact of Sooryavanshi's recent performances in a social media post, underlining just how extraordinary the youngster's run has been.
Batters Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox have been axed while seamer Saqib Mahmood could not retain his place either.
'Look, they (India) are a fantastic team, one which we have great respect for and I think five-match series are going to provide a lot of excitement for the fans that are coming to watch.'
All-rounder Sikandar Raza has been named captain of the Zimbabwe squad for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month, while veteran batter Brendan Taylor and spinner Graeme Cremer have been included.
Venus Williams will return to the Australian Open after receiving a wildcard entry, the tournament's organisers said on Friday, marking her first appearance at Melbourne Park in five years.
With the 2026 T20 World Cup fast approaching, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opted for a bold shake-up, dropping marquee players such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi from the T20I squad for the Sri Lanka series.
Travis Head proved England's nemesis once again as he scored his second century of the Ashes to carry Australia toward a seemingly inevitable series triumph on day three at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy will miss Wednesday's Women's World Cup match against England in Indore due to a calf injury.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Richardson has, so far, played three Test matches since making his debut in 2018-19. The pacer has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 22.09.
Healy's injury forces Australia rethink ahead of Women's World Cup clash against England
A trade deal makes sense only if it is fair and reciprocal. If the cost is strategic dependence or loss of policy space, waiting is the wiser option, asserts Ajay Srivastava.
Rajasthan Royals posted a fun video of their former recruit Joe Root unleashing some serious moves on the dance floor alongside team-mate Yuzvendra Chahal.
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.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy is set to make a comeback in the ICC Women's World Cup semi-final against India on Thursday.
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