A look at match-ups that could potentially decide the winner of the ICC World Cup final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Australia look to make statement a year ahead of T20 World Cup
Soon after the BCCI banned the duo from the upcoming Indian Premier League, Smith and Warner were each hit with 12-month bans by the national body for their roles in ball-tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test against South Africa last month.
David Warner punished a wasteful India with his second century as Australia seized control of the first Test at close of play on Day 4. The left-hander, who scored an emotional 145 in the first innings, added another 102 to help fire Australia to a 363-run lead at a sun-drenched Adelaide Oval on Friday. In the course of the day's play several milestones were set. Check them out.
Legendary Australia speedster Brett Lee feels apart from Jasprit Bumrah, pacers are failing to nail yorkers effectively in the death overs and he wants them to master the pivotal delivery.
Gujarat Titans clinched their second win on the trot as the defending champions handed Delhi Capitals a six-wicket loss at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Tuesday.
Australia will be forced to blood an entirely new opening partnership in Bangladesh next month after David Warner was ruled out of the two-Test series with a broken finger on Friday.
'It was nice to have a bit of a break.'
Holding the team's batting failure responsible for the 37-run defeat to India in the first Twenty20 International, Australian batsman David Warner on Wednesday said the hosts need to bat smartly against the Indian spinners and take full advantage of the big stadiums Down Under.
Smith has rarely, if ever, doubted his own talent but even he was aware that his spell at the top of the order was proving unpopular.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Players ratings after the league phase in IPL 10.
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell feels New Zealand are the dark horses even though India and South Africa will challenge Australia for the trophy.
After a win like that, the morale of any team would be high but Delhi will need to find a way to bat well against the star studded RCB.
Kiwi Ross Taylor's mammoth 290 in the WACA Test against Australia, propelled him to the top-10 list
The second edition of All-Star XI was updated after the completion of Monday night's league stage, with Delhi's Dirk Nannes and Victoria's Andrew McDonald also forcing their way into the team.
The 23-year-old, who has suffered nine previous concussions, is expected to be among the contenders to open the batting against England with David Warner.
'...this time around, obviously, he (Kohli) would be gearing up for it because it's going to be a different challenge with David Warner and Steve Smith coming back into the Australian Test line-up.'
Warner using bat 'sensor' to counter opposition threat
Kohli went beast mode against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala, blasting a crazy quick 92 runs.
Usman Khawaja will return to training on Tuesday after being cleared to play the second Test
Opener David Warner smashed his seventh one-day international century for the year to fire Australia to a resounding 117-run win and a 3-0 series sweep of New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Australian batting tyro David Warner wants to attract the attention of selectors in all forms of the game.
Images from Sunday's IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Hyderabad.
Delhi Capitals outclass champions Chennai Super Kings by 20 runs for their first victory in IPL 2024.
Skipper David Warner produced a majestic 93 as he single-handedly led Sunrisers Hyderabad into the IPL final after securing a four-wicket win over Gujarat Lions in the Qualifier 2 at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi. Chasing a tricky 163, Sunrisers overhauled the target with four balls to spare as Warner anchored the chase with his responsible 58-ball knock, embellished with 11 four and three sixes.
Describing David Warner as "generous and giving", Australia's stand-in cricket captain George Bailey downplayed the opener's bar-room brawl with England batsman Joe Root, calling it a "minor" incident but "disappointing" nonetheless.
Day 4 in the first Test was dominated by Australian performances. First, spinner Nathan Lyon bagged his sixth five-wicket haul as India were dismissed for 444 in the first innings. Then, opener David Warner continued in his sublime form and struck his second century of the match as the home side put up 290 for five in their second innings, an overall lead of 363 runs. Here are images from Friday's play at the Adelaide Oval.
Steve Smith is not getting unduly bothered by people's opinion over his role in the 'sandpapergate' episode
Following the match, Australian batsman Usman Khawaja took to social media to congratulate Afghanistan on their well-deserved win.
Rashid Khan and Khaeel Ahmed ensured KXIP could never find any kind of momentum in a steep chase.
Pat Cummins confirmed Australia's new-look batting line-up on Tuesday with Steve Smith to open and Cameron Green at number four in the team to face West Indies in the first Test at Adelaide Oval from Wednesday.
One of the greatest batters of modern era, AB de Villiers has revealed that he was snubbed by erstwhile Delhi Daredevils after spending three seasons at the IPL franchise.
Sparks flew thick and fast between Ravindra Jadeja and David Warner as the two players found themselves involved in an ugly spat during the second day's play of the fourth and final Test in New Delhi on Saturday.
In the photographs, the 34 year old is seen climbing what looked like a jungle gym, on a visit to an amusement park with daughter Vamika.
'Not taking away any credit from India, but when they won in Australia, there is no doubt that Australian cricket was going through a turmoil and there were problems in their dressing room'.
Australian opener David Warner has surged to a career-best third in the ICC ODI Players Rankings for batsmen after accumulating 386 runs at an impeccable average of 77.20 in the recently concluded five-match series against South Africa.
Was it Sandeep Sharma?
SunRisers Hyderabad beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs (via Duckworth/Lewis method) in their rain-curtailed Indian Premier League match in Visakhapatnam.
Sunrisers captain David Warner said his premium pacer Ashish Nehra will be out for a couple of games due to a groin injury he suffered during the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
England will be looking to bounce back from a rain-affected opening match and solidify their T20 World Cup campaign
