Australia bowled out South Africa for a below-par 212 despite David Miller's defiant 101 but the chase was not as straightforward as Pat Cummins and his team would have liked.
Kohli gets 'Spirit of Cricket' gong; Stokes is ICC Cricketer of the Year.
Smith was ruled out of the third Test due to concussion and Hohns said the form of his replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, would be a factor in finalising the batting order.
The four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy that promises a lot of twists and turns, engrossing sub-plots and probably career-defining performances.
Sunil Gavaskar wants KL Rahul to open in place of an out-of-form Prithvi Shaw
A lot of focus is on how Australia will cope with the dangerous Ravichandran Ashwin on turning tracks in India.
Shaun Marsh's name crops up as Australia look for right opening combo.
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
Images from the second semifinal between Australia and South Africa in the ongoing ICC Men's ODI World Cup at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.
The spinner could not justify his selection and leaked 95 from his 11 overs for the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels the potency of Australia's pace attack in English conditions gives them the edge in next month's World Test Championship final against India, who could be "badly affected" by the absence of injured Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
India clinched a comfortable five-wicket win over Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series.
The 34-year-old took the prized wickets of Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam to end Pakistan's resistance and finished with figures of 5-83 in Pakistan's second innings.
Australia completed a six-wicket victory within two days in the first Test against South Africa on Sunday as the Proteas crumbled on a green Gabba wicket that played straight into the home bowlers' hands.
Sohail and Asad Shafiq (80) put on 150 for the fifth wicket on a placid track at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium as Australia's bowlers toiled in the intense heat.
'He's shaping up all right at the moment so fingers crossed he'll be right'
With the Ashes set to get underway, Australian players reflected on the prestigious series and their aim for the upcoming tournament.
Peter Handscomb was earlier this month left out of Australia's preliminary 26-man squad for their provisional white ball tour of England in September.
Images from Day 1 of the third Ashes Test between England and Australia at Headingley in Leeds on Thursday.
Here we encapsulate all the sporting action from last week in this stunning photo feature.
India have already secured the Border-Gavaskar trophy and they will now be playing for a record-extending 16th straight series win at home
'To be able to then just work through it, and you could see there definitely was a shift after the second game just from his own performance, you'd see there's a little bit of extra intensity in him after that.'
IMAGES from the 3rd ODI between India and Australia played in Bengaluru on Sunday
Dashing opening batsman David Warner won his third Allan Border Medal, while Ellyse Perry claimed her second Belinda Clark Award at the Australian Cricket Awards, in Melbourne, on Monday.
India's formidable pace attack will not be as effective as New Zealand speedster Neil Wagner in bowling bouncers during their upcoming tour of Australia, believes wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Wagner bowling a barrage of bouncers and dismissing Australia's three leading batsmen -- Steve Smith, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne -- a combined 10 times was one of the rare positives for New Zealand in an otherwise one-sided Test series last season.
Warner has been racing to be fit for the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) Test
Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th Test wicket and spun Australia to the brink of a comprehensive victory in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane on Saturday as England lost eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse on Day 4.
England's latest version of cricket is set for its biggest test as they face world champions Australia in a bid to reclaim the Ashes.
Warner swapped the superstar's face with his and posted a funny video on Instagram.
It was his late father's dream to see Siraj play for the country in Tests and finally the dream was fulfilled on Saturday at the MCG.
India were 98 for 2 at close of play on the fourth day of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, still 308 runs behind Australia and a full day's batting away from saving the match.
'If you look at Australia's batting line-up, it is far better than last time.'
Former captain Border felt Australia panicked and none of the batters tried to defend.
India and Australia will play the second Test at the Ferozshah Kotla from Friday and it is to be seen if Iyer is able to join the team.
'Yes, their team has now improved with the return of the experienced David Warner, Steve Smith and the likes of Marnus (Labuschagne), who has really done well for them in recent times. But last time too, their team was good but we played really some really good cricket to win. Looking forward to the challenge once again, it's going to be a great contest.'
While Kohli has slipped to 10th on the ICC rankings, the Indian great continues to hold a remarkable Test batting record. He has scored 27 Test centuries and 28 half-centuries and currently has a Test batting average of just under 50.
Sri Lanka fined 40 percent of match fee for slow-over rate in second T20 against Australia
After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
In the longest format of the game, Babar is ranked fifth in the world, behind Australia's Marnus Labuschagne and the 'Big Four' of India's Virat Kohli, England's Joe Root, Australia's Steve Smith and New Zealand's Kane Williamson.
Following is a fact box on the final Test of the four-match series between Australia and India
