Steve Smith returns to action in the Boxing Day Test against England as Australia opted to include four fast bowlers in their 12-man squad.
David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne led Australia to a crushing 123-run win over South Africa
India were dealt a solid blow on Saturday, Day 2 of the fifth Test against Australia, as skipper and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah left the Sydney Cricket Ground for precautionary scans after feeling some discomfort in the post-lunch session.
Australia batting mainstay Steve Smith advised the 22-year-old Marnus Labuschagne to stay grounded after his meteoric rise in international cricket, which saw him post 896 runs at an average of 112, hitting four centuries -- two each against Pakistan and New Zealand -- this season so far.
Marnus Labuschagne rode his luck to a home-ground century as Australia exploited India's injury woes and punished their poor fielding to reach 274 for five at the close of a steamy opening day of the series-deciding fourth and final Test, in Brisbane, on Friday.
Australia must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia head coach and selector Andrew McDonald has confirmed Usman Khawaja will play in the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground amid media speculation it could be his last international.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.
Steve Smith said the decision to drop Nathan Lyonwas taken to strengthen the pace-bowling department.
Australia and West Indies are set to lock horns in five T20Is and three ODIs in July this year.
Australia looked destined for their biggest score of the series against India after a half century from debutant opener Will Pucovski helped them to 166 for two at the end of the rain-disrupted first day of the third Test in Sydney on Thursday.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 3rd Test between Australia and New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Saturday
All-rounder Max Maxwell, who has been sidelined by a wrist injury, will come in for the last three games, while Test certainty Josh Hazlewood will skip the last three games.
Chasing a world record 435 runs to win, England were reduced to 207 for six at stumps on Day 4 of the third Test, still 228 runs short of victory
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.
Captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon have returned to the Australia XI for the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide.
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.
Marnus Labuschagne scored a sparkling 185 to help Australia to a commanding lead before the home pace attack struck to leave Pakistan facing a heavy defeat on the third day of the first Test in Brisbane on Saturday.
Spinner Todd Murphy has been called into the Australia squad in place of the injured Nathan Lyon for this week's fourth Ashes Test, while captain Pat Cummins will skip the rest of the series as his back issue is managed.
The Aussie cricketers were joined by their families on the field as they savoured a series win that came after a decade.
Usman Khawaja said he hoped his long Test career, which will come to an end with his retirement after the fifth Ashes clash, inspires youngsters who are "different" that playing cricket for Australia is possible.
'It's hard for me not to think, you know, as a man of faith, that there's not someone else pulling the strings.'
'The moment was right': Head floors England with match-winning hundred
Shubman Gill fell to a bizarre dismissal to a loose shot off the final ball of the morning session.
The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit -- at least in two formats -- in this interim period.
Australia all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne, who is all set to make his Ashes debut, revealed that he once worked as a Hot Spot camera operator in a Test match against England in 2009, when fast bowler Peter Siddle claimed a hat-trick.
Tom Latham led New Zealand out on the field in Sydney on Friday in the absence of unwell Kane Williamson. Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. IMAGES from Day 1 of the 3rd Test between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on Friday
England batter Joe Root defended fellow teammate Jamie Smith for his dismissal in the first innings of the final Sydney Test
Even with the pressure of planning the Rajasthan Royals' IPL auction strategy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, former Team India head coach Rahul Dravid couldn't resist keeping an eye on the enthralling opening of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth.
Australia took the upper hand in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, ending day two on 144-8 in their second innings with a lead of 218 runs after wickets tumbled freely again on Thursday.
'It is about finding ways to score runs and contribute to the side in as many games as I can.'
Australia and South Africa, two teams renowned for their batting prowess, will go head-to-head in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, aiming to secure a place in the Champions Trophy semifinals.
If the humiliation of India being able to declare their second innings on 487/6 reflected poorly on the bowling unit, it was the Australian batting line-up dismissed for 104 in their first innings that bore the brunt of the blame.
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.
Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.
Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne said there has not been any talk about him opening the batting in the first Test against India but he is ready to bat at that slot if the team management asks him to do so.
Australia's batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne on Monday said he and his team would be "pretty devastated" if India don't tour Down Under later this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. India's tour of Australia will begin with a T20I tri-series in October and is scheduled to end with a four-match Test series in December. The speculation on the tour is because of the travel restrictions currently in place and the uncertainty surrounding how long it would take to control the pandemic.
Spinners Dunith Wellalage (3-42) and Maheesh Theekshana (2-26) kept Sri Lanka in the hunt but Dasun Shanaka's side were left to rue a limp performance with the bat.
Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for 231 in the hosts' second innings and then chased down the target of 75 losing the lone wicket of opener Travis Head.
Australian run-machine Marnus Labuschagne is willing to "sacrifice" the use of saliva to shine the ball in order to get back on the field in the post coronavirus world as the batting all-rounder feels players must be able to adapt to new rules. There has been widespread speculations that the use of saliva and sweat to shine the ball will be stopped to cut down the risk of spreading the highly contagious coronavirus when cricket restarts.
