Nathan Lyon scalped five wickets as the Indian batsmen were tested for the first time in the series on a crumbling track. The hosts still managed to take a slender four-run first-innings lead in the fourth and final cricket Test against Australia in New Delhi on Saturday.
Marnus Labuschagne believes India's memorable fourth innings run chase at the Gabba from 2021 is of little relevance heading into the final day of a gripping Boxing Day Test.
Australia's success has been compared with some of the nation's great Test teams led by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Australia, who have already secured their place in the final of the World Test Championship against South Africa, won the opening Test, also in Galle, by an innings and 242 runs.
Australian captain Pat Cummins expressed disappointment over the rain interruptions that prevented a decisive result.
During the first Test against England in Hyderabad, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja surpassed the iconic pair of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh as the most successful Test bowling duo for India.
'We may have to play ugly to score runs and take wickets. Captain Steve Smith talked about adapting to the conditions'
'Maybe he got some indication from the team management that he is no longer in the scheme of things.'
'I like it when opposition guys try to attack me and try to whack me out of the attack.'
Images from Day 3 of the 4th Ashes Test played at the MCG on Saturday.
Skipper Pat Cummins, who missed the tour of Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child in February and was also ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign with an ankle injury, will take the reins against South Africa.
If Smith is ruled out, then the left-hand batter Travis Head will lead the squad as he is the vice-captain of the side.
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.
Glenn McGrath said his prediction this time is based on how England were held to a 2-2 series draw by India in the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy five-Test series.
If, as many anticipate, off-spinner Nathan Lyon returns to the Australia side for the third Ashes Test against England this week it would be just the latest unlikely chapter in a career which already has the flavour of a tale of the unexpected.
Ben Stokes will take time to recover from memories of the catch he dropped, which cost England the first Test in the Ashes 2023 series against Australia.
Australia's left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann said he has received 'some awesome tips' about his craft from star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.
For the India tour, Zampa will be fighting for a spot with veteran offspinner Nathan Lyon.
Australia's plan to starve England of runs paid off handsomely as they reduced the home team to 238 for nine on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test in County Durham on Friday.
Cameron Green will change Australia's bowling dynamics for the upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy and may increase spinner Nathan Lyon's workload
Gavaskar said India need to put their "head down" and try and get as close as possible to Australia's total. R
Australian Off-Spinner Nathan Lyon is only the 6th player and the first bowler to play 100 consecutive Tests.
Ravichandran Ashwin has picked up a record 420 wickets in 71 Tests played in Asia -- the most by an Indian bowler.
Images from Day 4 of the second Test between Australia and South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Fascinating glimpses from Day 4 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
A sympathetic Nathan Lyon is not too worried about the Australian batsmen's abject first-innings surrender in the third Test against India, saying 'success for them is around the corner'.
'The last time I was here (in India, in 2013), the same thing happened in the third Test and I was able to play three days later. So I'm more than confident in turning out for the next Test'
India find themselves in a spot of bother against Australia in the third Test at Indore.
No one expected Australia to win after they lost 8 wickets, but they didn't reckon with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Steve Smith's magnificent 71 guided Australia to 221 for seven at stumps on Day 3 of the second Test against the West Indies in Grenada on Saturday, helping the tourists to build a commanding 254-run lead despite late wickets and persistent rain interruptions.
Alex Carey scored 63 and Beau Webster 60 as Australia were bowled out for 286. West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph took 4 wickets for 61 runs on Day 1 of the second Test.
Washington Sundar expressed his gratitude towards head coach Gautam Gambhir and the support staff for their unwavering belief in his abilities in the post-day press conference in Melbourne on Saturday.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann has turned the blowtorch on Nathan Lyon, saying the spinner had not "delivered" in second innings spells to drive the Test team to victory.
Australia will have to dust off the cobwebs but are still fancied to successfully defend their World Test Championship crown against equally ring-rusty South Africa in the final at Lord's.
Images from Day 2 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Dharamsala, on Sunday.
Spin twins Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon combined to dismantle Sri Lanka and bowl Australia to a crushing victory by an innings and 242 runs in the opening Test in Galle on Saturday.
'He could be a huge loss. However we've got Todd Murphy waiting in the wings. He's been bowling beautifully in the nets.'
Shubman Gill fell to a bizarre dismissal to a loose shot off the final ball of the morning session.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.
Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men's Test Batting Rankings after his stellar efforts helped England secure a 22-run victory over India at Lord's, according to the official website of the ICC.
