Indian batsmen, including flamboyant and in-form skipper Virat Kohli, were made to toil hard before Ravichandran Ashwin's counter-attacking 57 enabled the hosts to reach 271/6 at stumps on the second day of the third cricket Test against England on Sunday.
Under fire after a below-par show on a good batting strip, the Indian spinners will aim for an improved show on a comparatively more helpful track as they take on a gritty England in the second Test, starting in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Experienced Australia batsman Chris Rogers has been taking advice from fellow opener David Warner about how to face up to the South African bowling attack ahead of the first Test in Pretoria.
On a roll after five wins on the trot, table toppers Mumbai Indians will look to continue their domination when they clash with struggling Delhi Daredevils in an Indian Premier League game, in Mumbai, on Saturday.
Coach Trevor Bayliss thinks England left some "scars" on the Australia team during the second Ashes Test and can still enjoy success Down Under despite being 2-0 down with three matches to play.
With 36 different playing XIs in as many Tests under Kohli's captaincy, the Indian line-up is begging for some consistency.
Aaron Finch smashed a sparkling century as Australia dealt England a 111-run humiliation in their World Cup opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Ishant Sharma will follow the footsteps of his teammate Cheteshwar Pujara as he is set to play English county side Sussex in five first-class and eight List A games.
Chris Gaffaney and Sundaram Ravi were promoted from the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires to the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, where they replaced Billy Bowden and the retiring Steve Davis.
The 50-year-old Lara also gave his opinion as to what the team is required to do to become successful in the longest format of the game.
Rising Pune Supergiant, who have gone from strength to strength, will look to seal their place in the Play-offs with a win over inconsistent Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League in New Delhi, on Friday.
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Having made a commendable comeback from the brink of a series defeat, India will look to increase their stranglehold on hosts England to draw parity when the two teams square off for the fourth Test, in Southampton, on Thursday.
England start as the favourites but India have a golden chance to reverse the trend and get into gear just before the World Cup.
Cricket Australia termed 'arrogant' and 'controlling' in stinging review report
England must chase down a world-record 474 to win the second Test while South Africa have two full days to bowl them out after the tourists' batsmen provided the strongest possible platform for victory on the third day in Nottingham on Sunday.
The fitness of Ben Stokes remains an issue. The all-rounder did not bowl in the first Test due to a back problem and could play again as a specialist batsman ahead of Vince.
Penpix of England players in England's Ashes squad.
Weakened by the departure of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, Rajasthan Royals will have their task cut out when they lock horns with a resurgent Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League match in Jaipur on Saturday.
A summary of Saturday's matches in the English Premier League.
Swing and seam friendly conditions, a lack of truly scary Australian bowlers and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum's retirement are all themes that will resonate when the first Test gets underway in Wellington on Friday.
Moeen Ali made a superb century to lift England to 328 all out after Pakistan had taken four early wickets on the first day of the final Test at The Oval on Thursday.
Mercurial paceman Kagiso Rabada produced the second best match figures by a South African to propel his side to a consolation 280-run victory over a feeble England on the last morning of the fourth and final Test.
Kagiso Rabada became the youngest South Africa bowler to take seven wickets in an innings as the hosts took charge of the fourth and final Test against England on Sunday.
Despite the Indian bowlers working hard to improve their chances of a win in the third Test in Melbourne, Australia finished Day 4 on 261 for seven with Shaun March (62 no out) and Ryan Harris (8 not out) and 326-run lead. Rogers and Shaun Marsh scored fighting fifties to put Australia in a strong position on Monday. Here are the statistical highlights from the day's play.
Steve Smith reached his maiden Test century with a six as Australia, trailing 3-0 in the series, took control of the fifth and final Ashes Test against England at the Oval on Thursday.
The Indian cricket team has a chance to go up a rung and be third in the ICC rankings if it beats England in the upcoming five-Test series starting July 9.
Joe Root's determination and Haseeb Hameed's grit were not enough for England as India won the third Test by 8 wickets.
England completed a crushing 347-run victory over Australia with a day to spare in the second Ashes Test on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The England-India series has brought the bowler back into what has been turned into a batsman's game, says Aakar Patel.
Hosts India would look to do an encore by putting England through another rigorous spin test when the two teams square off in the third Test starting in Mohali, on Saturday.
Former Sri Lanka captain attributes the Indian team's debacle in the first two Tests against England to lack of preparation.
'England against Australia at Lord's, it doesn't get much bigger than that.'
Wrecking ball Mitchell Johnson laid further scars on England's battered psyche with a stunning seven-wicket haul that skittled the tourists for 172 and put Australia in complete control of the second Ashes Test after the third day on Saturday.
A disciplined England attack shrugged off the challenge of a bland Adelaide Oval wicket to limit Australia to 273-5 and leave the second Ashes Test delicately poised after the opening day on Thursday.
Roger Federer conceded he has changed some things because of his age.
Fast bowler Steven Finn claimed his first five-wicket haul in a One-Day International as England destroyed India's batting at the Gabba in Brisbane. He took five wickets for 33 runs from eight overs while James Anderson claimed four as the pair skittled the reigning World champions for 153 in less than 40 overs. Statistical highlights from the match.
Factbox on the fifth Ashes Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Thursday:
Some teams have completely overhauled their squads. Others retained their core at the IPL Players Auction.
Sean Dyche's Burnley side looked to have secured a crucial point in their fight to move clear of the bottom three but Eriksen broke their hearts with a clinical finish for third-placed Spurs in the 91st minute.
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