The return of shooting, which was controversially dropped from the Birmingham CWG earlier this year, is a welcome development for India.
Opener Alyssa Healy bludgeoned England's bowlers in a furious 170 as Australia set a mammoth victory target of 357 in the Women's World Cup final in Christchurch on Sunday.
The dead rubber New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground at least offers a chance for New Zealand to reset
Following is a factbox on the first Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Thursday:
Images from Day 2 of the third Test between Australia and South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday
It was a bitter pill for James Anderson and England's bowlers, who had battled hard to limit Australia to 267 and give their batsmen a chance to set the home side a chase.
Chris Woakes took 5 for 19 as England claimed a comfortable nine-wicket victory in their first official World Cup warm-up match after dismissing a hapless West Indies for 122 in 29.3 overs on Monday.
Smith was miffed after the umpire's decision to term the delivery of New Zealand paceman Neil Wagner as 'dead ball'
England's World Cup opener is only two days away, but captain Eoin Morgan will delve into the past for inspiration to reverse his poor batting form and help his team cope with their demons facing Australia on home soil.
Australia's cricketers are getting help from sprint legend Usain Bolt to boost their running between the wickets for the upcoming Ashes Test series against England.
With Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series against India, the scales are titled highly in favour of the hosts. History also shows that the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts. With the Boxing Day Test around the corner, here is a quick look at how the teams stand.
Injured fast bowler James Pattinson has returned to the Australia set-up when he was named on Tuesday for the One-day series against England in January.
Pacer Josh Hazlewood claimed career-best Twenty20 international figures of 4-12 to guide Australia to a 20-run victory over Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, in a rain-affected opener of the five-match series.
Former India batsmen Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Kaif hailed Ajinkya Rahane's unbeaten 104-run knock.
There are those historic, memorable matches (the 1986 tied in Chennai, the Kolkata epic in 2001 and the Adelaide humdinger of 2015) that gripped our collective conscious.
Australia coach Justin Langer on Tuesday said India have been distinctly well-planned and disciplined, especially in bowling, so far even as his side races to address its batting woes ahead of the third match starting in Sydney on Thursday.
David Warner may play the third Test against India even if he is short of full fitness as Australia look to the veteran opener to strengthen the top order, assistant coach Andrew McDonald said on Thursday.
One run -- that was Kohli's contribution to the India-Australia match.
Australia's Chris Rogers finally scored the big hundred he so craved in a brilliant innings of 158 not out against England in the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Thursday.
Australia were 126/3 at stumps on Day 1 of the 4th Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Sporting fraternity hails Kohli's epic knock in win against Pakistan as one of a kind
Ireland, who have already upset West Indies at the tournament, produced a disciplined bowling performance to restrict England's big hitters.
Will it be Naryanswami Srinivasan or Mustafa Kamal?
Praising India for having a lot of match-winners in the side, Australian great Ian Chappell has said that they are at par with Australia in terms of team strength.
Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz has heaped praise on Boxing Day Test centurion Azhar Ali, saying the opener is `one of the greatest batsmen` the country has ever produced. Azhar (unbeaten at 139) struck his 12th Test century and first Down Under besides sharing an unbeaten 115-run stand with Asad Shafiq (50) to guide Pakistan to 310-6 at the end of the rain-curtailed second day's play of the second match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday.
Top-order batsman Usman Khawaja has been drafted into the Australia squad for the ongoing ODI series against India in place of opener David Warner whose wife is expecting the couple's second child. Khawaja will join the squad in Brisbane and, at this stage, will remain for matches two and three of the five-game series, at the Gabba on January 15, and at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 17 respectively, Cricket Australia said. National selector Rod Marsh said Warner would be welcomed back into the squad when circumstances allow.
Pat Cummins' girlfriend wants to buy dog toys with his hefty IPL pay cheque
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers.
Mayank Agarwal had to endure a long wait to get there having performed consistently in the domestic circuit for Karnataka. That's when Rahul Dravid, doing duty as the 'A' team coach, helped Agarwal with his wisdom.
'Kohli is the most complete Indian batsman of my time. Only the greatest of champions has the courage and the intelligence to transport their imagination beyond the mortal plane. Kohli has that. Perhaps only Tiger Pataudi has come close to transcending a similar stratosphere'
Formula One race in Melbourne will proceed as planned this week and there is 'no chance' fans will be excluded because of coronavirus fears
The part-time spinner must now have his bowling action tested within 14 days but can continue to bowl at the international level until the test results are out.
Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey said that conditions for the third Test in Melbourne will be a lot different from those in Perth and India should consider drafting in all-rounder Hardik Pandya to bring balance to their attack.
South Africa dug deep to deny Australia a 3-0 series sweep with a battling draw in the rain-disrupted third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, finally finding some fight on the final day of a miserable tour.
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has heaped praise on right-handed batsman Babar Azam, saying he is as good as swashbuckling Indian batsman Virat Kohli. During the recently concluded Hamilton Test against New Zealand which Pakistan lost by eight wickets, Azam scored an unbeaten 90 and Arthur says the former deserves the high praise.
Pattinson sustained the injury while on 'approved leave' from the team's hub in Melbourne
The batting icon claimed one of the challenges of his career was being among the best cricketers of his era.
Australian players saved their best performance until the end.
The Indian team kicked off final preparations for the third Test against Australia with a gruelling practice session at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Australia will be without fast bowler Mitchell Starc for Saturday's final one-day international against South Africa after he was given permission to leave the tour to watch his wife Alyssa Healy compete in the women's T20 World Cup final. Healy will feature for Australia against India in the decider of the global T20 competition at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, and will be able to count on the support of Starc.
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