Skipper Pat Cummins, who missed the tour of Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child in February and was also ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign with an ankle injury, will take the reins against South Africa.
Australia Test skipper Tim Paine has tipped Marnus Labuschagne to be a future captain and says the top-order batsman's natural leadership qualities make him a great fit for the role.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
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.
Labuschagne, known for his ability to score runs, especially against India, reminisced about the first time he saw Kohli don India's Test colours in the 2018 series.
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.
Australia reduced West Indies to 102-4 to tighten their grip on the day-night second Test at the Adelaide
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.
Steve Smith was facing throwdowns from team-mate Marnus Labuschagne in the nets when the ball struck his right thumb.
Bavuma said his hamstring was 'feeling good' ahead of his return, and the South African skipper also confirmed he would bat at number three for the opening match of the three-game series behind openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram.
Steve Smith said the decision to drop Nathan Lyonwas taken to strengthen the pace-bowling department.
Steve Smith ended his century drought and Marnus Labuschagne struck his first Test hundred abroad to steer Australia to 298/5 on day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.
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
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald hinted at a rejig in the top order after misfiring in the World Test Championship final defence against South Africa at Lord's.
Captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon have returned to the Australia XI for the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide.
Ricky Ponting has offered technical advice to Australia's batters Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head to counter England's bowling attack ahead of the second Ashes Test.
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.
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.
Marnus Labuschagne believes India's memorable fourth innings run chase at the Gabba from 2021 is of little relevance heading into the final day of a gripping Boxing Day Test.
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.
Images from the first One-Day International between England and Australia, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Thursday.
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 declared their first innings on 473/9 and then reduced England to 17/2 after a near-flawless evening session to take charge of the day-night second Ashes Test on Friday.
Australia's run-machine Marnus Labuschagne has displaced England captain Joe Root to claim the world's number one Test batter spot following a run of big scores in the ongoing Ashes series.
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.
Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis were left out of the Australia squad for next month's limited overs tour of India while Labuschagne comes into the squad on the back of some fine form in Test cricket.
'The moment was right': Head floors England with match-winning hundred
'It's going to have take something pretty serious to have me miss a game.'
Australia's star batter Marnus Labuschagne can't wait to engage in a "lovely game of chess" with Ravichandran Ashwin during next month's Test tour of India after making required changes in his game to combat the ace spinner.
England batter Joe Root defended fellow teammate Jamie Smith for his dismissal in the first innings of the final Sydney Test
If Labuschagne's pride was wounded, the 27-year-old hid it well when asked about the snub in Brisbane on Friday.
The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit -- at least in two formats -- in this interim period.
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 must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Marnus Labuschagne said Australia, especially the pacers, did not even bring their "B Game" in the win against England in the Ashes opener.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test between England and Australia at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday.
David was ruled out of the rest of the white-ball series on Monday
David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne led Australia to a crushing 123-run win over South Africa
Australia's batsmen must balance aggression with discipline to combat India in the third Test in Sydney after being pinned down by their bowlers in the first two matches, number three Marnus Labuschagne said.
