After many episodes of concussion, Will Pucovski's career comes to premature end at 26. He was once seen as the future of Australian batting.
Skipper Manish Pandey's valiant century was in vain as India 'A' lost to Australia 'A' by one run in a high-scoring Quadrangular cricket series thriller in Mackay, Australia, on Tuesday.
Srikar Bharat's splendid hundred and his century stand with Kuldeep Yadav put India A in command over Australia A in the second unofficial Test at Alur, Bengaluru, on Monday.
The India 'A' team suffered a humiliating eight-wicket loss to Australia after being shot out for a mere 55 runs in the opening match of a quadrangular One-Day series in Townsville, on Sunday.
All-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis have been excluded from a 25-player squad for an intra-Australia clash that will go a long way to deciding the makeup of Tim Paine's Ashes side.
Cummins was left to look on anxiously as the Australian side assembled near the pitch to watch the medical team attend to Karunaratne, who was stretchered off the ground and taken to hospital in a neck brace.
After resuming on 384-4, the hosts declared their first innings closed after lunch. Kurtis Patterson, in just his second Test innings, was unbeaten on 114 after posting his maiden century and captain Tim Paine was 45 not out.
Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne missed individual centuries but forged Australia's highest partnership of the summer to earn the hosts a handy first innings lead against Sri Lanka on day two of the series opening day-night Test on Friday.
England opener Michael Carberry looks set to make his Ashes debut next week after being included in the team to face an Invitational XI in a warm-up match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Pat Cummins took a career-best 6-23 to help Australia crush Sri Lanka by an innings and 40 runs inside three days in the series opening day-night Test.
Usman Khawaja found his scoring touch and fast bowler Mitchell Starc returned to his fiery best as Australia moved within sight of victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Manuka Oval on Sunday.
Burns, who had scored the last of his three Test hundreds against New Zealand in early 2016, was batting on 107, the first century by an Australian batsman since Usman Khawaja's 141 in the drawn Dubai Test against Pakistan last October.
Australia have left no stones unturned in their preparation as they chase their first Test series win in over a year, captain Tim Paine said.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh leads a 14-man squad packed with international experience, a group featuring Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb, Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Joel Paris, Matthew Renshaw and Chris Tremain.
590 cricketers -- including 370 Indian players and 220 overseas players -- will go under the hammer during the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.