'Alyssa is my most favourite Australian right now and not Mitch Starc. He is No. 2.'
New Zealand's Mark Chapman believes their frequent matches against Pakistan will give them an edge in their T20 World Cup Super 8s match. He also discussed adapting to the slower Sri Lankan pitches and Mitchell Santner's fitness.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh refused to comment on Pakistan's boycott of its T20 World Cup match against India, insisting the defending champions are focused solely on winning the tournament despite a series whitewash.
Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell and hTim David will also be rested from the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said the team is ready for the Pakistan T20I series despite a short, interrupted build-up, calling the tour vital preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
A versatile and dynamic Australian unit, without key pacer Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who is likely to miss the early stages of the tournament, will be going into the T20 World Cup with hopes of going deep in the tournament.
Back to his brilliant best, Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten 82 lit up Raipur in the 2nd ODI against New Zealand, to shut out all doubters, days ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Andrew McDonald backs Mitch Marsh for Australian captaincy
McDonald also said the selectors would consider a Test recall for Mitch Marsh, even if Australia's white-ball captain said last week he would be watching the Ashes series beer in hand.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins' chances of playing at next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka are "quite grey at the moment" as he battles a back stress issue that has affected his participation in the ongoing Ashes series against England.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has rejected claims that batters have worked him out, saying consistent execution, not new variations, will define his impact at the upcoming T20 World Cup.
With the Ashes urn in their hands, Australia decided to rule Cummins out of the two remaining Tests.
The Asia Cup champions will not have it easy against the Mitch Marsh-led Aussies at home as the Indians were seen going hard in the nets on Monday.
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell on Tuesday said it would be "silly to underestimate" Indian batting superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and backed the stalwarts to play next year's ODI World Cup.
Kane Williamson is unavailable for ODI selection due to his commitments in the SA20 league.
'It was just put the ball in the right areas, don't try too much and see what happens.'
New Zealand will pin their hopes on a rookie attack and field a new wicketkeeper when they take on the West Indies in the second Test in Wellington starting on Wednesday following a slew of injuries.
Australia will also welcome Matt Short back into the side at No.3, forming part of a refreshed middle order alongside Renshaw, Owen, Cooper Connolly, and wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, who replaces the injured Josh Inglis (calf).
Mitch Owen has been rewarded for his fine form in his first five Twenty20 internationals by being named in both of Australia's squads for short-format series against South Africa in the far north of the country next month.
Cummins remains a doubtful for the Ashes opener at Perth starting on November 21 but Marsh is among the players who would be in fray for selection for the opening Test of the five-match 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.
Play was called off following a long delay after England's innings, in which the tourists scored 153-6 in 20 overs on a difficult wicket, with Sam Curran (49 not out) finishing well after Jos Buttler (29) failed to build on a good start.
Swing bowler Jacob Duffy took 4/35 as New Zealand cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the fifth and final Twenty20 International in Dunedin on Thursday, clinching the series 3-1.
'There will be guys that get opportunities. We've obviously got a few guys missing for this series (for) a well-earned rest.'
'He is not changing it anymore and hopefully he sticks to it and plays many more knocks like this for us.'
Since India last played a bilateral series against Australia in their home territory just before the ODI World Cup in 2023, 'Ro-Ko' have been sensational.
Finn Allen has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a foot injury while representing the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket in the United States.
Mitch Marsh, an integral part of the Australian squad, has returned to his hometown of Perth for personal reasons
India captain Shubman Gill admitted that dropped catches and a total which was just adequate cost his side dearly as Australia clinched the ODI series with a disciplined all-round performance in Adelaide on Thursday.
Australia's stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh continued his fine run of form on Sunday, scoring 46 not out and leading his side to a seven-wicket triumph over India in the weather-affected first one-day international at Perth Stadium.
England recovered from a disastrous start as captain Brook bludgeoned 135 from 101 balls and Jamie Overton made 46 to help their side finish on 223 all out in 35.2 overs for a fighting chance in the contest.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Delhi-born cricketer Nikhil Chaudhary set for Sheffield Shield debut for Tasmania in season 2025-26
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
'Look, they (India) are a fantastic team, one which we have great respect for and I think five-match series are going to provide a lot of excitement for the fans that are coming to watch.'
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
The 35-year-old left-armer retires with 79 wickets from 65 T20Is, second on the all-time list for Australia, behind spinner Adam Zampa.
Australian star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is hopeful of regaining fitness in time for the latter half of the upcoming T20 International series against India after undergoing surgery on his fractured right wrist.
The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit -- at least in two formats -- in this interim period.
NZ hand young talent contracts as big guns remain casual
