Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers.
After dominating for nearly two decades, Australia are slipping towards their worst period in Test cricket.
Australia must show a bit of "mongrel" and gel as a team if they are to lift the Ashes against England, former captain Steve Waugh has said.
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has signed for Pune Warriors, becoming the franchise's eleventh overseas player and second signing this week after Australia captain Michael Clarke.
After batsmen ruled the first two Tests, fast bowling could be the decisive factor when Australia and South Africa re-engage their heavyweight tussle for the number one Test ranking in the final match of the series on Friday.
Australia have named Shane Watson and five pace bowlers, including Mitchell Johnson, in a 14-man squad for the third and final Test against South Africa in Perth after drawing the second Test in Adelaide on Monday.
Australia were charged with confidence by their performance in the opening Test against South Africa and are determined to ride the momentum to victory in this week's second clash at the Adelaide Oval.
South Africa's celebrated pace attack took a hammering in the first Test against Australia and has much to prove in next week's second but batsman Hashim Amla still believes it is the best in the world.
Australian opener David Warner has recorded a series of milestones with his impressive performances in the Tests against South Africa, etching his name along with other Australian and South African legends.
Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed a strokeful 106 as Sri Lanka spanked Australia by eight wickets in the second final of the tri-series in Adelaide on Tuesday to level the best-of-three tri-series finals 1-1.
Australia fought back in their second innings after losing its top order cheaply to end Day 3 in the first Test against South Africa on 228 for 7, an overall lead of 322, at the WACCA, on Friday.
Australia's dramatic collapse against South Africa at the weekend has drawn inevitable comparisons with their previous Test defeat but vanquished coach Darren Lehmann says the two losses were vastly different.
Australia's cricketers have returned home from their triumphant tour of India with an unexpected problem over the make-up of their team.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly feels the struggling visitors should have played two spinners in the ongoing fourth and final Test against Australia, as the conditions in Adelaide appear "closest to subcontinent".
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named captain of ICC's 'ODI Team of the Year' which also includes Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir.
Throwing hot water on Australia's much awaited Ashes-winning plans, fast bowler Ryan Harris has returned home with an injury from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Shane Watson has stood down as vice captain of Australia in all cricket formats following the Test team's humiliating 4-0 series loss to India, citing a need to focus his attention on scoring runs and taking wickets.
Australia's fast bowlers, led by man of the match Mitchell Starc, narrowly outshone Pakistan's spinners as Michael Clarke's side edged to a four-wicket win in the opening one-day international of their three-match series in Sharjah. Starc (5-42) and James Pattinson (3-19) were the chief wreckers as Pakistan were bowled out for 198 in the 46th over.
All-rounder Shane Watson emerged the highest-earning Australian cricketer with the Indian Premier League money, ahead of the likes Ricky Ponting and captain Michael Clarke, according to a latest rich-list of sportspersons.
India's quest for a historic clean sweep started on a good note as the host spinners continued their dominance over Australia to take the honours on the opening day of the fourth and final Test in New Delhi on Friday.
As India go in to the four-match Test series against Australia that commences in Adelaide on Tuesday, here is a factbox.
Australian cricket will undergo a thorough review of all facets of its game in the wake of the humiliating 3-1 Ashes drubbing, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said on Friday.
R Ashwin's impressive figures of 5 for 90 makes him the top performer of the day.
Team India got off to a slow start on the third morning, adding only 14 runs to their overnight total (182-3) in the first 11 overs of the day.
Brief Analysis: Where did Team India falter on Day 2 of the 1st Test vs Australia at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Saturday?
Australian captain Michael Clarke sought to dismiss talks of his side's vulnerability against spin bowling, saying they would not be intimidated by the home team's slow bowlers in the high-profile Test series starting in Chennai on Friday.
Pace bowling legend Glenn McGrath feels the upcoming Test series between Australia and India could see a keen leadership contest, with both captains seeking to make a mark for different reasons.
Hashim Amla occupies the top spot in both the Test and One-Day rankings but would not call himself the best batsman even in the South African dressing room.
A morale-boosting series win sealed, India would be aiming to finish with a flourish when they take on England in the inconsequential fifth and final One-dayer at the picturesque HPCA stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Sri Lanka came up with a vastly improved performance in their second innings on Sunday, leaving the onus of saving the second Test against Australia on two of their most experienced batsmen, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting will miss the opening One-day International against Sri Lanka to fly to Tasmania for his grandmother's funeral.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the top 20 batsmen, bowlers, wicketkeepers and fielders in a calendar year.
Australia removed Sri Lanka's openers cheaply to leave the tourists clinging on at 65 for two and chasing an imposing 393 runs for victory at the close of play on the fourth day of the first Test on Monday.
Virender Sehwag is one of four leading cricketers chosen by the International Cricket Council as its ambassadors for 2010-2011. The ICC has chosen five ambassadors, including Australian umpire Simon Taufel, for the year, during which its flagship event, the ODI World Cup, will be jointly staged by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Kumar Sangakkara, Paul Collingwood and Michael Clarke are the other ambassadors.
Statistical highlights of the first day's play in the fourth Test between India and England in Nagpur, on Thursday.
Australia have resisted the temptation to go with four seamers for this week's first Test against Sri Lanka on what is expected to be a lively wicket at the Bellerive Oval.
Australia, abandoning conventional wisdom by opening their bowling attack with a spinner, seized control of the second Test against West Indies at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on Monday.
Australia won an exciting first Test against the West Indies by three wickets on Wednesday as Michael Clarke's team were rewarded for their positive approach.
West Indies kept the pressure on Australia on day three of the first Test in Bridgetown, Barbados on Monday with the tourists restricted at the close to 248 for five in 95 overs.
Australia's Shane Watson has declared himself fit for both batting and bowling duties in the third and final test against South Africa beginning in Perth on Friday.
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