Ricky Ponting led from the front with a brilliant century to help Australia reach 254 for four at close on the opening day of the first Test against India.
Cricket should be seen as a game only and not be mixed with politics, former Indian Test cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said.
England's captain said Saturday's final will be about who handles the pressure better on the day.
The Kiwis scored a thrilling one-wicket win in the third and final one-day match of the Chappell-Hadlee series.
The Australian captain has been ordered to rest because of a slight thigh strain for the fourth ODI against New Zealand.
West Indies brought back fast bowlers Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards in place of Marlon Samuels and Corey Collymore.
Australia's senior cricketers are playing down suggestions they might retire en masse if they win back the Ashes.
India made one change, bringing in leg-spinner Piyush Chawla in place of Munaf Patel for the first of the best of three finals.
The scheduling of the ICC Champions Trophy in the English autumn has perplexed the Australian captain.
India recalled Virender Sehwag for Yuvraj Singh and dropped spinner Harbhajan Singh for paceman Irfan Pathan.
What do you think about the selection? If you can come up with something better, send us your team.
The India captain said his five-wicket haul on the opening day of the first Test against Australia is the best of his career.
Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid led the Test batting honours for the second straight week.
Australia, chasing 307 to win, were 212 for four at the close of the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh
Australia's Phil Jaques will replace the retired Justin Langer in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Deccan Chargers captain Adam Gilchrist and Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina are locked in a keen tussle at the top of the run scoring charts in the Indian Premier League. Currently, Gilchrist with a tally of 1090 runs in 37 matches leads Raina by just one run.
The West Indies captain posted the highest individual Test score on Monday, passing Matthew Hayden's 380 on the third day of the fourth and final Test against England.
The Aussies won the Group B match at the Twenty20 World Cup by 8 wickets and entered the Super Eight stage.
Australia beat New Zealand by four wickets in the warm-up match ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka were set 352 to win the first Test after Australia, 161 runs behind after the first innings, amassed 512 for 8 on day 4.
In the ICC ODI team rankings, India remains in fifth place.
Both Hayden and Philander asked the Pakistani fans to back the current team.
The match is being held in Perth. This is Zimbabwe's first Test in Australia.
Australia, chasing England's first-innings total of 373, closed a truncated second day of the fifth Ashes Test on 112 without loss
While Shubman Gill was praised following his second half-century of the season, former India opener Viren
England ended a run of nine straight losses to Australia with a stunning 92-run win.
Australia beat New Zealand by eight runs a high-scoring tri-series ODI.
Set a target of 243, Australia chased down the total with 4.4 overs to spare in the tri-series opener that also involves New Zealand.
Australia beat England by 10 wickets to win the fifth Test and complete their first Ashes series whitewash in 86 years.
All-rounder Andrew Symonds retained his place along with seamer Mitchell Johnson, who was the 12th man in Perth.
Australia beat England by six wickets with 19 balls to spare on an extraordinary final day to win the second Test and take a 2-0 lead in the Ashes series.
England picked up the crucial wicket of Langer to reduce Australia to 28 for one after posting a daunting total of 551-6.
