Australia great Matthew Hayden hailed the selection of Krunal Pandya as a "smart pick" for the Royal Challengers Bangalore camp in this IPL season, adding that there is "something special" about the squad this year.
Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood who missed the third Ashes Test and is set to return to the side in the fourth Test match against Australia, said that he was underprepared for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
In a rain-marred contest at Canberra, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav lit up the night with a couple of towering sixes - enough to take him into an elite club of T20I power-hitters, becoming only the second Indian after Rohit Sharma to reach 150 sixes in the format.
England 'quietly confident' heading into Ashes series, says Wood
Taking his 17th Test five-wicket haul, he finished with 7 for 58 off 12.5 overs.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
Cummins, Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
Starc further commented that Doggett could handle the pressure of the Ashes series, as he seemed to be the third pacer in Australia's attack.
Hazlewood termed England batsman Joe Root as a 'class player' and said that the 28-year-old does not have any weakness in his game.
Reeling from injuries to captain Pat Cummins and paceman Josh Hazlewood, Australia have received a boost ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth starting Friday, with Cameron Green telling reporters he is ready to bowl free of any restrictions.
Australia captain Pat Cummins is back bowling multiple overs on a reduced run-up and has targeted returning to the team for the second Ashes Test against England, a day-nighter in Brisbane starting on December 4.
Young India opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy continued to occupy the top spots among batters and bowlers in the latest ICC Men's T20 Players' Rankings issued on Wednesday.
The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit -- at least in two formats -- in this interim period.
After Sunday's defeat in Perth, the three-match series moves to Adelaide on Thursday before concluding in Sydney on Saturday.
'The ideal thing would be for India may be to chase, rather than having Australia chase.'
Former No. 1-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja would open the innings for Australia in the WTC final against South Africa while the fit-again Cameron Green would bat at the No. 3 position.
Jasprit Bumrah's impact, precision and big-match temperament in the T20 World Cup draw comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar, as India's pace spearhead continues to shape games with unmatched control and cricketing intelligence.
Pat Cummins will captain Australia at the Champions Trophy after being named in a preliminary 15-man squad also featuring fellow quick Josh Hazlewood on Tuesday.
England coach hopes Josh Hazlewood's comments were tongue in cheek
Rohit Sharma followed up his knock of 73 in the second ODI in Adelaide with a match-winning unbeaten 121 in Sydney to be named the Player of the Series.
At Rs 10.75 crore, the 35-year-old India discard is one the most expensive players signed by RCB at the mega auction.
Virat Kohli, 36, and Rohit Sharma, 38, are active internationally only in the 50-overs format but their future beyond the three-match series is uncertain.
New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy reflects on years of waiting, breaking a Sir Richard Hadlee record and finally making his World Cup debut at 31.
Australia's selectors chairman George Bailey defended sticking with the Test side's veteran core for the Ashes on Wednesday following criticism from former captain Steve Waugh about the team's ageing profile.
The Bellerive Oval is one ground where the side boundaries are smaller in size, hence hitting the right lengths would be paramount considering anything short would be flying over cover, point, square leg or mid-wicket on either side of the fence.
Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood, and Sunil Narine emerged as rare bright spots-combining discipline, guile, and experience
The great Ricky Ponting expressed confidence in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's abilities despite their poor showing with the bat in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.
Sidhu hit back at an X handle for falsely attributing quotes to him.
Pat Cummins on Saturday rated himself a "half chance" to play the day-night Test against England in Brisbane from December 4.
'That so many have reached such an advanced stage of their careers without obvious replacements is certainly a reflection of their quality, but will be a matter of concern in the case of more injuries during the series.'
Suryakumar Yadav was back in his element with some spectacular hits but inclement weather proved to be a complete dampener as the first T20 International against Australia was called off
It was a wild ride while it lasted but the 'Bazball' revolution that enlivened English cricket for three years collapsed in 11 days on Australian soil in an Ashes defeat as harrowing as any in the modern era.
Khawaja pulled no punches, taking aim at former players and sections of the media over what he described as blatant double standards
New Zealand all-rounder Kyle Jamieson says he can only marvel at the Indian superstar's craft as he operates at a "different level", one where great batters have their way even if bowlers try to contain them.
The 30-year-old said he will look to bowl at the nets on the third day of the Boxing day Test and will rely more on feel than on medical assessment.
Suryakumar Yadav-led India ready for Aussie challenge as T20 World Cup preparation begins.
Smith dislocated his right little finger in last month's World Test Championship final and will be required to wear a splint for five weeks, Cricket Australia said.
"We're deeply grateful for the swift coordination and support from the BCCI, local authorities, and the police who made this possible," the RCB statement added.
Hazlewood, who is nursing a tendon injury which sidelined him during the Test series against India, added that Pujara is someone Australians "love to hate".
