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.
While Rajasthan, placed second in the standings, have lost only two games and won six, Mumbai are already out of contention for a play-off berth
Controversial all-rounder Andrew Symonds, fit-again pacer Bret Lee and David Hussey have been cleared by Cricket Australia to play in the closing stages of Indian Premier League while Shane Watson, Nathan Bracken and James Hopes have been told to stand down from the lucrative Twenty20 event after they failed medical tests.
Since 2011, England have managed to eke out just a single draw in 13 Ashes Tests over three tours and their last two Tests in Sydney have resulted in humiliating defeats.
Australian cricketers in state side New South Wales continue to be hot property in the Indian Premier League (IPL)and young opener David Warner has become the latest to take the IPL plunge, signing a two-year deal with the Delhi Daredevils. The 22-year-old hit a NSW one-day record score of 165 not out against Tasmania in a Ford Ranger Cup game last month.
The second Ashes Test between England and Australia is scheduled from August 14 to August 18 at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Images from Thursday's World Cup match between Australia and the West Indies, at Nottingham.
Rabada trapped Smith leg before wicket on the opening day of the second Test at St George'sPark on Friday and appeared to brush against the batsman in his celebration as the Australian walked down the pitch.
Australia's stand-in coach David Saker on Wednesday said that the team management will closely monitor premier fast bowler Pat Cummins' workload in the upcoming limited overs series against India even though they expect him to play all the five ODIs.
Both RCB and PBKS will have new captains at the helm in Faf du Plessis and Mayank Agarwal respectively
Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson feels that Indian team will be 'nervous' considering the pacer-friendly conditions of Dharamsala where Steve Smith and his boys should feel more confident.
A refreshed Nathan Lyon is expected to pose a serious threat to India later this summer, but the bowler himself is not certain about the resumption of cricket disrupted by the pandemic.
Australia will start favourites in Thursday's clash but a passionate Bangladesh are expected to make life tough for the holders.
Steve Smith's brilliant hundred and a clinical show by the bowlers at the death helped Australia beat England by 12 runs in their World Cup warm-up match, in Southampton.
The two were recalled to Australia's team for the 2019 World Cup, starting in England and Wales from May 30.
The Australians, led by Steve Smith, arrived in Chennai from Bangladesh after drawing a two-Test series and the match tomorrow would give them opportunity to at least switch to the One-day format.
The Punjab bowlers led by Kagiso Rabada have fared well. But the likes of Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh along with Rahul Chahar, who has nine wickets, would need to be on the money.
Australia maintained their perfect record against the south Asians on home soil and continued their recent good form in Tests since retaining the Ashes in England.
CA's Head of Cricket Operations Peter Roach thanked the umpires and said the decision to reduce head count was a mutual one.
David Warner made 88 not out and featured in two significant partnerships to lead Australia's robust reply to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 305 in the second and final Test on Tuesday.
The player registration deadline closed on Thursday and the list comprises 207 international players including 21 capped Indians.
Batsman David Warner has been dropped from Australia's one-day international squad while paceman Mitchell Starc will fly back home because of lower back soreness, the country's cricket board said on Sunday.
Australia called up uncapped paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile for the first Test against West Indies on Tuesday as a replacement for left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc, who was ruled out of the series due to a broken foot.
Australian cricket, in contrast, has been dogged by structural reform in the wake of the ball-tampering saga in South Africa in March and it has resulted in turbulence on the field as well.
Images from the ICC World Cup match between Australia and South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday
India head into the third Test with momentum after dampening Australia's Christmas cheer with a dominant eight-wicket win in the second match in Melbourne.
With the second Test set to start on Wednesday, here is a quick fact check on how both teams stand at the Gabba.
'England were playing with nine and a half men'
The much-awaited return of David Warner and Steve Smith from their one-year bans has bolstered the team
Hardik Pandya hasn't featured in Tests since 2018 and has only recently recovered from a career-threatening back injury.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on Tuesday
The next time Darren Lehmann sends out a team will be in the Ashes opener against England and the Australia coach already has some firm ideas of who will be playing in Brisbane after a mixed tour of Bangladesh.
'They have got so much talent. And in the last 10 years when they have not been playing home Test matches (for security reasons), they have done a remarkable job to be as competitive as they have and continue to bring on the level of talented players they have.'
Australia's selectors have responded to the threat of a first ever Test series sweep on home soil by dropping five players from their squad for the third match against South Africa, which begins in Adelaide on Thursday. Joe Burns, Adam Voges and Callum Ferguson, as well as wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, paid the price for a string of batting collapses, while seamer Joe Mennie was also axed after the innings defeat in the second Test in Hobart.
Former skipper Ricky Ponting believes defending champion Australia's ability to bowl and play spin will define their success in the upcoming 2019 World Cup.
There will be no let-up in intensity as a ruthless India look to inch closer to yet another series whitewash when they take on a beleaguered Australia in the fourth One-day International in Bengalurg, on Thursday.
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, on Friday.
Top-order batsman Shaun Marsh has been dropped from Australia's side for their second Test against West Indies, despite scoring 182 in the comprehensive first Test victory in Hobart.
Nathan Lyon claimed six for 60 to bowl Australia to an emphatic series-equalling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the second and final Test on Thursday.
West Indies opener Chris Gayle, who is a popular name among T20 leagues around the world, was not picked along Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga.
