'Mitchell Starc is a superstar, don't think of him from investment standpoint'
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.
Their last eight Tests in Perth have all been defeats, with the most recent setback a bitter innings and 41-run capitulation in 2017 that saw Joe Root's team surrender the urn.
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood feels it is possible to do the balancing act with meticulous planning and strategising.
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.
The great Ricky Ponting expressed confidence in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's abilities despite their poor showing with the bat in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.
The 32-year-old Cummins would be watching the action unfold from the sidelines due to a back injury.
'Who is the IPL's best bowler? His name is Jasprit Bumrah. He gets Rs 12 crore and Starc almost 25. That's wrong.'
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.
Pat Cummins on Saturday rated himself a "half chance" to play the day-night Test against England in Brisbane from December 4.
'Just as Cricket Australia manages Mitchell Starc's workload to preserve him for key series and tournaments, the BCCI should ensure that our premier fast bowler is preserved for the most important contests.'
As Virat Kohli looks to make amends in Thursday's second ODI at the Adelaide Oval, one of his favourite hunting grounds, former India international Mohammed Kaif said that Virat did not appear to be in his batting zone.
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar decoded the dismissal of Rohit Sharma and identified that aggression, a forte of the veteran swashbuckler, was his undoing in the first ODI against Australia in Perth at the Optus Stadium on Sunday.
'It was good fun. I was obviously really nervous. Super stoked for the boys to get the win.'
Pace bowling all-rounders always come at a premium and therefore, the troika of Green, Venkatesh Iyer and West Indies' Jason Holder, all coming at the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (US$220,000), are set to headline the bidding war.
Pacer Mitchell Starc was adjudged player of the match for his sensational bowling up front when he claimed the scalps of Travis Head, Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed in the powerplay.
"Bowlers were going to be a hot property," says De Villiers on Starc's historic bid
IPL Auction 2026 was not just about money; it was a celebration of ambition, opportunity, and the unrelenting belief that the next big star could come from anywhere.
Once DC and MI backed out, Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders commenced an even more intense battle, crossing the record Rs 20.50 crore (Rs 205 million) spent by Sunrisers Hyderabad on Pat Cummins a little earlier.
Scott Boland will step up and uncapped Brendan Doggett is tipped for a high-stakes debut to try to shore up the loss of a combined 604 Test wickets of experience.
England 'quietly confident' heading into Ashes series, says Wood
England have not won the Ashes in Australia after losing the first Test since the 1950s but McCullum and Stokes will remain convinced they can turn the series around, just as they did against South Africa in 2022 when they won 2-1 after losing the opener at Lord's.
The IPL consistently rewards smart squad building, tactical flexibility, and balanced team composition over individual star power. So what exactly are franchises paying for when the bidding war begins?
'Four games don't make him a bad bowler'
Mitchell Starc has not lived up to his astronomical price tag so far in the IPL but Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Bharat Arun on Tuesday backed the Australia left-arm pacer, saying it's just a "matter of time" before he hits his stride.
On Thursday, intensified shelling along the Line of Control and reports of drone and missile activity triggered anxiety across IPL camps.
Taking aim at senior players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, among others, he said that if their aim was to prolong their send-offs till after the Ashes, it was a wrong mindset.
'I think there was a fair bit of good bowling today. Obviously there was enough in the wicket and it probably felt like it was a hardball wicket.'
Expect nothing less than hostility, fire and close contests as Ben Stokes' England come armed with their Bazball philosophy to try and get the better of a depleted Australia.
Cricket Australia will support any Aussie player who chooses not to return, as the focus shifts toward international duties -- particularly the World Test Championship final at Lord's on June 11.
The grand comeback party of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma endured a quick 22-ball ending, and their lowkey outing reflected in India's seven-wicket defeat against Australia.
KKR's Mitchell Starc rose to the occasion in the biggest game of the season.
With no ODI series in Australia in the next two years, it is impossible to think that the legendary duo will again be seen Down Under in India blues.
Cummins, who was previously optimistic of taking part in a significant chunk of the series, appears to have no chance of playing the series opener in Perth from November 21 and could even miss all five Tests, leaving superstar batter Steve Smith as his stand-in captain.
Australia held their nerve in a tense chase, edging past India by two wickets to seal the series 2-0 despite a late fightback from the visitors on Thursday in Adelaide.
Australia Women's team captain Alyssa Healy on Wednesday said that her husband and fast bowler Mitchell Starc deserved the record-breaking IPL paycheck as he has worked hard for many years.
The aura of home advantage -- long regarded as a hallmark of India's Test side -- seemed secure. But in barely over a year, that fortress has not just cracked, it has collapsed, raising uncomfortable questions about strategy, selection, and temperament.
Starc shared insights into Australia's anticipation of a dry and slow pitch.
KKR's most successful leader Gautam Gambhir is back in his second innings as a mentor. His partnership with head coach Chandrakant Pandit, a shrewd tactician in domestic circuit, will be the key to their revival.
'I wouldn't bowl to him (Gill) in England, that's for sure.'
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