Younis Khan hit a stellar double hundred while skipper Misbah-ul-Haq also joined the run-feast with his sixth Test century as Pakistan tightened their grip on the second and final test against Australia on Friday.
Australia will want to steer clear of another defeat at the hands of India when the teams lock horns in the 4th ODI in Bengaluru, so it will only be prudent if they bring in Faulkner for the faltering Richardson and give Agar the boot, says Norma Godinho.
Perennial under-achievers Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab will look to recover from opening losses and put their campaign back on track.
The first day of inaugural day-night Test match also marks the first death anniversary of Phil Hughes, who had died after being hit on the cricket field
Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed is likely to make his full Australia debut over the next month after being named as the specialist spinner in the squad for six one-day and two Twenty20 internationals against England on Thursday.
Pacer Vernon Philander claimed six for 21 as South Africa thrashed Australia by a huge margin of 492 runs to claim the four-match series 3-1, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
Hard-hitting left-hander Chris Gayle will return to the West Indies squad for their tour of South Africa after recovering from a back injury.
A scrappy India will have to lift their game by several notches against an improving Australia when the two fierce rivals clash in a virtual quarter-final cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Sunday.
Australia warmed up for the limited-overs series against India in style by crushing Board President's (BP) XI by 103 runs in the lone practice match, in Chennai, on Tuesday.
Jonny Bairstow kept his head with a fine century for England but Steve Smith showed a captain's poise to guide Australia to 203 for three at the close of day two of the third Ashes Test on Friday.
Cricket fans paid tribute to the late Test batsman Phillip Hughes on the first anniversary of his death.
The series is even more important for Kohli as it would also define his legacy as a leader having already established himself as world's premier batsman.
Images from Day 2 of the 5th and final opening Test between Australia and England at the SCG in Sydney on Friday
Seamer Morne Morkel claimed his 300th career wicket as South Africa edged ahead in the third Test on Friday when they reduced Australia to 245 for nine at the close on the second day, still 66 runs behind their hosts' first innings score at Newlands.
Shaun Marsh and Matt Renshaw struck contrasting half-centuries on an engrossing day of cricket to help Australia take a first-innings lead of 48 against India in the second Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.
He may have made scoring look easy on the Adelaide track by notching centuries in each innings, but David Warner insisted that the pitch isn't placid anymore and his team is determined to take all 10 Indian wickets on the final day and win the first Test on Saturday.
Australian vice-captain David Warner indicated that they will not sledge in-form India skipper Virat Kohli.
Australia captain Michael Clarke pledged to celebrate first and worry about white-washing England later after winning back the Ashes on Tuesday, and his team did their skipper proud at a party at a Perth casino hosted by Shane Warne.
Australia were 221 for 4 at close of play, in response to India's 408, on Day 2 of the second Test at the Gabba, on Thursday. Check out some images from the day's play.
Virat Kohli's Indian team will be aiming for another comprehensive show against a depleted Australia when the two sides square-off in the opening encounter of the five-match series, in Chennai, on Saturday.
Although Steve Smith was named man of the match after scoring 273 runs it was Australia's rejuvenated pace bowlers who made the biggest statement in their side's brutal mauling of England in the second Ashes Test.
Young batsman Shreyas Iyer pounded the Australian bowlers with his career-best unbeaten 202 before the three-day warm-up game between India A and the visitors ended in a draw, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Australia vice-captain David Warner found it "bizarre" that pundits and fans continue to criticise the team despite winning their last two Test matches after a run of five losses.
Australia batsman Adam Voges produced a Man of the Match performance as they emphatically beat West Indies by nine wickets in the first Test in Dominica on Friday
Hetmyer smacked three sixes and eight fours in his entertaining knock, helping his side chase down a modest target of 128.
Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile said there is a need to have a fresh look at the Indian Premier League rules after a 1.30 am finish to their rain-hit eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
JP Duminy, AB de Villiers, Wayne Parnell and Vernon Philander put South Africa on top as they reduced Australia to 112 for four on the second day of the second Test at St George's Park on Friday.
Photos from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday
Should Mayank Agarwal make his Test debut at the MCG? Will Kohli/Shastri pick Hardik Pandya for the Boxing Day Test? Pick India's playing XI for the third Test.
India and Australia play their opening T20 match In Ranchi on Saturday. And, although the visitors have added fresh faces to their squad for the three-match series, India are clearly the dominant side in this match-up.
Cheteshwar Pujara's marathon double hundred complemented by Wriddhiman Saha's dogged century put India in complete command with an imposing total of 603 for 9 against Australia on the fourth day of the third cricket Test.
The visitors will have to play out of their skins to arrest the slide and level the series ahead of the last T20I in Hyderabad on October 13.
The shocking death of batsman Phillip Hughes on Thursday has cast doubts on whether the first Test between Australia and India will go ahead in Brisbane next week.
Australia captain Steve Smith slammed a half-century to break Don Bradman's record for the most runs in a Test series against India and put the hosts in control on Day 4 of the fourth and final Test in Sydney.
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh drove Australia to within 74 runs of a series-winning victory at the dinner-break in the third and final Test in Adelaide on Sunday after New Zealand's pacemen captured three early wickets.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 3rd Test played between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town on Sunday
India were on the verge of a riveting series victory after an incisive performance from the bowlers saw them skittle out Australia for a paltry 137 in their second innings on the third day of the fourth and final cricket Test in Dharamsala, on Monday.
Trying to focus everyone's attention on playing a game of cricket when one of their best mates has passed away will be almost impossible.
After Australia's spinners took 17 wickets to out-bowl their Indian counterparts in Pune, the hosts will now be less confident of having a major advantage should they decide to produce turning tracks for the remainder of the series.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock have achieved career-high positions in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings after firing South Africa to an emphatic 177-run victory over Australia in the opening Test of the three-match series in Perth on Monday.
