Virat Kohli remains the biggest draw as he returns to his 'home ground' at the back of five half-centuries in nine games. Four of them have come away from the Chinnaswamy Stadium and despite being in the opposition camp, the Delhi crowd will be hoping the Indian superstar extends his prolific run in the tournament.
Pat Cummins is the eighth Australian to join the 300 club, no mean feat for any bowler but particularly one who he had to wait more than five years for his second Test appearance after a spate of injuries.
Smith dislocated his right little finger in last month's World Test Championship final and will be required to wear a splint for five weeks, Cricket Australia said.
Glenn Maxwell's hopes of reviving his Test career may be over after the all-rounder missed out on selection in Australia's much-changed squad for the Sri Lanka tour.
After Australia thrashed India by 209 runs to win the World Test Championship final at The Oval in London on Sunday, June 11, 2023, the Aussies celebrated with their families.
Pat Cummins tore through South Africa before a Proteas fightback left the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 on a knife-edge at the end of an absorbing second day at Lord's.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the WTC Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's on Wednesday
Starc said the IPL would be good preparation for the T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies.
Steve Smith might be taking a wee bit more time to adjust to sub-continental tracks but his poor returns in the first two ODIs against India is least of concern for the Australian team management, senior speedster Mitchell Starc said on Tuesday.
'You have to move ahead with whatever (players) you have and ensure they perform.'
Shaken by the abrupt suspension of their previous match due to the India-Pakistan conflict, a struggling Delhi Capitals will look to regroup and address bowling concerns when they face table-toppers Gujarat Titans in a reverse-leg IPL clash in Delhi on Sunday to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc was not part of the first Test against England, which Australia won by two wickets.
Former captain Tim Paine has been appointed coach of the Australia 'A' team for this season with the country approaching a transition to a new generation of players as a handful of Test stalwarts near retirement.
Images from the IPL 2025 match between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore justifies Mitchell Starc's huge pay check from skill-set standpoint
Kolkata Knight Riders splashed the cash as they spent a record breaking Rs 25.20 to buy Australian all-rounder Cameron Green.
Delhi Capitals annihilated Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets in an IPL match in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Pat Cummins will captain Australia at the Champions Trophy after being named in a preliminary 15-man squad also featuring fellow quick Josh Hazlewood on Tuesday.
Senior pacer Mitchell Starc claimed his maiden Allan Border medal, while Ashleigh Gardner became the first indigenous person to win the Belinda Clarke award, the top two honours at Cricket Australia (CA) Awards.
Rahul, who had joined Delhi Capitals' training camp just a day before the high-stakes clash, was unavailable for the match as he was on paternity leave.
Mohammed Shami has etched his name in the record books, becoming the fastest Indian and the second-fastest bowler in the world to claim 200 wickets in ODIs
South Africa beat Australia by five wickets to win World Test Championship
Fresh from their morale-boosting win over LSG, and bolstered by the return of India wicketkeeper-batter K L Rahul, Delhi Capitals will look to build on the momentum when they take on formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL match in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Australia took the upper hand in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, ending day two on 144-8 in their second innings with a lead of 218 runs after wickets tumbled freely again on Thursday.
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.
Liam Livingstone once again showcased his explosive batting prowess, smashing 63 not out off just 27 balls in the fourth ODI against Australia at Lord's on Friday.
'As a captain it makes my life a lot easier knowing you've got lots of settled players there.'
As he gears up to surpass legendary Dennis Lillee in the tally of Test wicket-takers for Australia, pacer Mitchell Starc opened up on strong words from his former head coach Tim Nielsen that paved way for his durability and said that it would be humbling to surpass the Aussie icon in wicket-taking charts.
But the hosts will be a confident group as star batter Virat Kohli made a return to run-making ways after an all too brief blip.
Pat Cummins captured the sentiment perfectly, calling this potentially the 'last chance' for fans Down Under to witness these legends in action. With both stalwarts set to be 39 and 40 respectively by the 2027 World Cup, every appearance carries added significance. Ro-Ko have been the heartbeat of Indian cricket for over 15 years. Their return brings an emotional lift to the team and raises expectations for the series against the world champions.
The 32-year-old Starc was diagnosed with a detached tendon in the middle finger and missed the third and final Test against the Proteas at Sydney.
South Africa's dream start to the World Test Championship final quickly turned into a nightmare at Lord's, as their batters failed to back up Kagiso Rabada's five-wicket masterclass.
Australia is on the cusp of scripting another milestone. If the Baggy Greens trounce the Proteas, they will become the first team to defend the WTC mace successfully.
Mitchell Starc is likely to be available for the second Test against India but captain Pat Cummins has ruled out overhauling the squad.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals played in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Mitchell Starc keeps away from T20 leagues around the world, including the IPL, despite the handsome money on offer as he wants to be at his best playing for Australia.
Both DC and LSG have 10 points and a win will keep them safely perched in the higher echelons of the points table ahead of the jostlers.
Shreyas Iyer-led KKR crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sunday's final by eight wickets to win their third IPL title.
'Most expensive player in your team can't be your weak link.'
It was a frustrating day for the loyal crowd of 16,180 but perhaps more so for the home team, whose chances of forcing a result were progressively eroded.
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