India will look to clinch the series albeit with a more impactful batting performance from the middle-order in the second T20 International in Ranchi on Friday.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni says 'you have to enjoy the game no matter where you are on the points table'.
'If you had have told me then (he would captain Australia), I certainly wouldn't have believed you, but this game moves fast and sometimes things happen that are quite unexpected and that's exactly what's happened in this scenario.'
Australia have left masterblaster batsman Glenn Maxwell out of their squad for the five-match one-day international series against England that follows this week's fifth Ashes Test.
An unwell Trent Boult skipped the New Zealand cricket team's training session at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Monday, staying away from the squad as a precautionary measure. The left-arm pacer is among eight players including Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner, who are attending the first half of the camp that started on Sunday.
Collingwood 'amazed' by questions about Root's captaincy
'With India's bowling so poor, there will be extra pressure on the batsmen to score more runs. The Indian team, which nonchalantly scores 300/350 runs in ODIs at home, has had problems making even 200/250 runs in Australia.'
The Australian pacer naturally wants to play the second Test at Lord's from Wednesday but is even keener on Australia bringing home the urn, even if it means spending more time on the sidelines.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson admitted that playing the second leg of Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates helped in understanding the conditions better in the lead up to the T20 World Cup.
India tour is not final marker for World Cup hopefuls, says Langer
Ponting, who coached Delhi Capitals in the currently-suspended Indian Premier League, said one of the reasons for Australia not having a good finisher was that all of the best batsmen of the country bat in top four in Big Bash League.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the fourth Ashes Test with a heel injury while England paceman Craig Overton will also miss the match in Melbourne with a fractured rib.
The Australian captain also said that Bancroft's comments won't be held against him during future team selections.
Jayawardene credited MI and New Zealand's bowling coach Shane Bond for perfectly planning and executing India's downfall in the last match.
The squad will then be trimmed to 15 for the ICC World Test Championship final against India at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton starting on June 18, as per ICC regulations.
West Indies fast bowler Obed McCoy took four wickets after Andre Russell's maiden half-century as the Twenty20 world champions produced a superb comeback to outclass Australia by 18 runs in the first game of their five-match series.
Former Australian pacer Brett Lee equated his country's pace attack for the upcoming Cricket World Cup at home to the 'biggest wolf pack' he has ever seen.
Australia's Josh Hazlewood is a 'genius' with line and length and will have no trouble being ready for next week's Ashes opener against England
India captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday said the consolation win over Australia in the third and final ODI is a timely 'boost' for the remainder of the tour, made possible by the freshness that came with a changed squad.
If Rahane's side can go 2-1 up and ensure the retention of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it will be one of the finest hours in the history of Indian cricket
Captain Brendon McCullum is expected to be fit for New Zealand's ICC World Cup clash against Afghanistan next Sunday despite being hit on the arm in Saturday's game against Australia.
The first Test of the four-match series, beginning on December 17 will be played at the Adelaide Oval in a day-night contest. Australia have an unbeaten record in day-night Tests having won all the pink ball Tests they have played.
Australia may have made batting look easy while chasing 300-plus totals against India successfully twice, but opener Aaron Finch credited the team's inexperienced bowlers for it, pointing out that the current attack combined has played less ODIs than the now retired Mitchell Johnson.
Kane Richardson says coach Andrew McDonald 'camped out' at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday night to check on dew
Langer's side secured their spot in the last four with a 64-run win over hosts England at Lord's on Tuesday and return to the famous north London ground on Saturday to face neighbours New Zealand in their penultimate round-robin tie.
'I'm in the team to take wickets and I've had two wicketless games, so we'll see how we go.'
The 10 IPL franchises have so far spent above Rs 388 crore collectively
Cameron Green is made for Test cricket and will make his debut in the pink ball match against India, Australia captain Tim Paine announced
Smith was banned from leadership roles for two years after the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town in 2018 but the ban expired in March.
New Zealand wrapped up a record innings and 134-run victory over West Indies before lunch on the fourth day of the first Test in Hamilton on Sunday after finally breaking a rearguard action from Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph.
'He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him'
India have more serious worries on their hands heading into the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground next week - the visitors are definitely in a spot of bother as far as their opening combination is concerned.
I'm confident Australia can do it and it all starts against South Africa -- a brilliant match to start what will hopefully be a brilliant tournament for the Baggy Greens, says Brett Lee.
Seamer R Vinay Kumar, on Thursday, threw his weight behind in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik who was a surprise choice to lead the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
'No doubt it's their best preparation to be in those exact conditions, playing in probably the strongest domestic T20 tournament in the world.'
'We just let them off the hook there and probably didn't build pressure the way we wanted to.'
Justin Langer said the contest would likely be an exciting one thanks to the two teams being evenly-matched.
Australia have won all seven day-night Tests they have played and Mitchell Starc's prowess with the pink ball has been key.
Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc says he let the noise get to him when India toured Australia two years ago but "couldn't care less" now as he gears up for the upcoming home Test series against Virat Kohli's team.
Former skipper Ricky Ponting believes the exodus of experienced players left a void in Australian cricket and this leadership crisis led to the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018.
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