Australia's selectors have responded to the threat of a first ever Test series sweep on home soil by dropping five players from their squad for the third match against South Africa, which begins in Adelaide on Thursday. Joe Burns, Adam Voges and Callum Ferguson, as well as wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, paid the price for a string of batting collapses, while seamer Joe Mennie was also axed after the innings defeat in the second Test in Hobart.
James Faulkner, man-of-the-match in the 2015 World Cup final against New Zealand, has been omitted from the 15-man squad named on Thursday, with selectors opting for all-rounders Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.
K L Rahul (67) scored his fourth half-century (his fifth in Test cricket) of the series and along with fellow opener Murali Vijay (42 batting), conjured up a stand of 91 -- their best of the series -- on a JSCA track that remained good for batting.
A series win will be an ideal confidence booster for India before the visitors hit Test match mode.
A few bruised egos will eye redemption when India square off against Australia in the second Test in Melbourne from Saturday, ready to bounce back in skipper Ajinkya Rahane's hour of reckoning after their batting debacle in the series opener in Adelaide.
England, who hold the urn, were dismissed for 233 in their second innings in the opening session of the fifth and final day of the maiden pink ball Ashes Test.
Images from Day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test, at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Former India captain Rahul Dravid has expressed surprise at the inclusion of Michael Clarke in the Australian squad for the upcoming World Cup despite injury concerns, terming the decision of the selectors as "un-Australian".
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will join Australia's squad for the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney, captain Steven Smith said on Tuesday.
Images from Day 1 of the 5th and final opening Test between Australia and England at the SCG in Sydney on Thursday
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.
Johnny Bairstow scored England's first century of the series as the tourists staged a fightback after a torrid start to the third day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday, but Australia remained in command with a lead of 158 at the close of play.
They have not lost to the West Indies in 14 Tests dating back to 2003.
Australia will need their top order to fire against New Zealand's disciplined attack and persist with four specialist bowlers.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann says he and captain Steve Smith both wanted Mitchell Johnson to play on, at least in one-dayers, but were unable to convince the fiery fast bowler to reconsider retirement.
An Australia team that stared down the hardened bureaucrats and faceless money men of the nation's cricket board to strike a huge win in pay negotiations showed precious little unity when put under pressure by Bangladesh, the ninth-ranked Test team.
The Virat Kohli-led RCB has won five of its eight games on the back of all-round performances but seemingly blundered in the eight-wicket defeat to laggards KXIP on Thursday.
Bangladesh spun their way to a first Test victory over Australia on Wednesday, with Shakib Al Hasan's second five-wicket haul of the match securing a memorable 20-run win inside four days at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
Uncapped pacemen Joel Paris and Scott Boland will make their international debuts for Australia in the first one-day match against India in Perth on Tuesday.
Images from Day 5 of the fourth Ashes Test, at Old Trafford, Manchester.
England face a rejuvenated Australian team who have turned day-night cricket into a competitive advantage, winning all eight of their Tests under lights dating back to the format's 2015 debut.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 5th Ashes Test played between England and Australia on Thursday.
Australia have been in good form in the five-day format and having won a one-day tournament in India last year will be confident and will be looking to do an encore as they face India in the first of the three-match ODI tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday.
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
Top-order batsman Shaun Marsh has been dropped from Australia's side for their second Test against West Indies, despite scoring 182 in the comprehensive first Test victory in Hobart.
Since an acrimonious series defeat at home to South Africa a year ago, Australia have won nine of their past 13 Tests.
Australia's senior bowlers must step up to help captain Tim Paine lead an inexperienced team during their next tour against Pakistan, pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has said.
'I guess for Mitch, he's got no tendon or ligament damage so given everything goes well over the next couple of weeks, we're confident that'll he be okay for the first Test match'
Images from the Day 3 of the 2nd Ashes Test played between Australia and England in Adelaide on Monday
A temporary ceasefire was called on Wednesday as Australia captain Steve Smith and his England counterpart Joe Root paused for photos under a blinding blue sky at the Brisbane stadium, but both captains have been looking to land a psychological blow on the eve of the first Test.
India needed 14 runs from the last over and Pandya delivered with sixes off the second and fourth deliveries
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League.
Mitchell Starc smashed an unbeaten half-century to steer Australia to 256 for nine on a difficult pitch on the opening day of the four-match series in Pune on Thursday.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood received his reward for some fine domestic form on Wednesday when he was included in a pace-heavy 13-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against South Africa next month.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between Australia and India, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Monday.
The second Test between Australia and New Zealand ended in a draw on Tuesday, with the tourists 217 runs short of their victory target of 321 on a rain-disrupted fifth and final day at the WACA.
Josh Hazlewood and Brad Haddin set new milestones as Australia, replying to India's first innings score of 408, ended Day 2 in the second Test at the Gabba on 221 for four. Check out the day's days statistical highlights.
Spinner Nathan Lyon, top order batsman Usman Khawaja and all-rounder Moises Henriques have been omitted after being selected in the squad that defeated Sri Lanka 4-1 away
In the space of two days, top batsman Smith has gone from Australia's cricketing golden boy to national pariah and it looks likely that he has played his last Test as captain.
In a career of cross-roads, the 29-year-old feared he had reached a dead end some 20 months ago, when he suffered a fourth back stress fracture that ruled him out of the 2017/18 series on home soil.
