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?
Australia may opt to continue with a four-prong pace attack at Adelaide and even add another part-time seamer in all-rounder Beau Webster, who could replace batter Josh Inglis in the lower middle order.
Australia stormed to an eight-wicket victory in the second Ashes Test on Sunday to take a 2-0 series lead as England succumbed on day four to a pace blitz from unlikely hero Michael Neser.
England have not won a first Ashes Test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978.
Cummins is also unlikely to feature in the first Ashes Test, starting November 21 in Perth, and in that scenario former skipper Smith will captain Australia.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
The stand-in Australia captain was asked about Panesar's recent comments that England should shame Smith over his involvement in "Sandpapergate" to get a psychological edge in the series, which starts in Perth on Friday.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
The Perth Stadium curator has promised the wicket will be green, fast and bouncy but Stokes offered no thoughts on whether England would attack with four quicks or pick the specialist spinner, Shoaib Bashir, in their 11.
'It is the biggest stage and it is the brightest lights. It is a series that could define teams, the people and players within it.'
Australia captain Pat Cummins is back bowling multiple overs on a reduced run-up and has targeted returning to the team for the second Ashes Test against England, a day-nighter in Brisbane starting on December 4.
Bazball is in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia's spicy pitches.
'The tailenders should have looked to bat with Jamie Smith. Really poor from the batters towards the end. The plan should have been to give him the strike and let him do the heavy lifting.'
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Fast bowler Josh Tongue is confident England are prepared for the Ashes series in Australia and have a good chance of ending their long drought Down Under thanks to their fearsome bowling attack.
Taking his 17th Test five-wicket haul, he finished with 7 for 58 off 12.5 overs.
Starc further commented that Doggett could handle the pressure of the Ashes series, as he seemed to be the third pacer in Australia's attack.
Australia will take on England in the opening fixtures of the Ashes on November 21 in Perth. Steve Smith will lead the side as Pat Cummins is not in the team due to injury.
Trent reported decent margins in the second quarter (July-September) of 2025-26 (Q2FY26) but growth moderated. Same store growth was low single-digits. Trent's revenue growth decelerated in Q2FY26 at 17 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) while area additions were offset by decline in revenue per square foot (sq ft).
Reeling from injuries to captain Pat Cummins and paceman Josh Hazlewood, Australia have received a boost ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth starting Friday, with Cameron Green telling reporters he is ready to bowl free of any restrictions.
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.
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.
Ravichandran Ashwin hails Travis Head after his 69-ball century, the second-fastest in Ashes history, helped Australia easily chase down 205 runs on Day 2 of first Ashes Test.
With skipper Pat Cummins already out of the series opener because of a back injury, Australia are expected to send out Hazlewood with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland as their pace attack.
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood feels it is possible to do the balancing act with meticulous planning and strategising.
Australia have suffered another blow ahead of the Ashes opener against England after fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to a hamstring injury on Saturday, further weakening their bowling attack after the loss of captain Pat Cummins.
England did not have their full squad in Perth until last Sunday and will play one internal match before the first Ashes Test on November 21.
Only three England captains have secured the urn in Australia in the last 50 years, with Andrew Strauss the last in 2010/11.
Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes set the scene for a dramatic Ashes series.
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.
The contest between England's dialled-down "Bazball" approach and Australia's more methodical batting could determine who prevails in the Ashes series beginning in Perth on Friday.
A class 11 student in Gurugram was shot and critically injured allegedly by a classmate using his father's licensed pistol. Police have apprehended two minor students and recovered the weapon.
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.
Asian Paints reported a good performance for the second quarter (July-September) of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), with some help from base effects, despite strong competition and extended monsoon. Volume grew in low double digits in the key domestic decorative paints, and value in that segment grew by 6 per cent. Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) grew 21 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), and PAT (profit after tax) grew 14 per cent. Asian Paints also defended market share better after several quarters where it had lost ground to Birla Opus.
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.
Australia are confident that captain Pat Cummins will play a significant part in the Ashes series, head selector George Bailey said, as questions remain over the paceman's fitness for the opening Test in Perth.
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.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad on Tuesday spiced up the leadup to the Ashes series, starting in Perth on November 21, claiming that the battle is between "the worst Australian team since 2010" and the "best England team since 2010".
Paceman Josh Hazlewood has brushed off worries about Australia's ageing attack for the Ashes, saying he personally feels as good as he has in a long time and that the unit's experience of bowling together is a major advantage for the team.
'Stop touching your beard all the time. Your hands carry bacteria that can trigger acne and irritation.'
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