Glimpses from Team India's nets in Perth on Tuesday.
Cricket fever gripped Perth as fans thronged the Optus stadium on Day 4 of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
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.
While ever more hostage to Twenty20's global carve-up, cricket will take a breath from next week to indulge its most time-honoured rivalry as Australia and England battle in the Ashes.
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.
'We feel slightly behind the game now but there certainly won't be any letting up and certainly won't be any surrendering.'
Australia's Jake Weatherald says he is excited about the possibility of opening the batting with Usman Khawaja in the first Ashes Test against England later this month.
Having gone down swinging in an enthralling Adelaide Test, Australia barely have time to pick themselves up off the canvas before another potentially bruising contest against a confident India in Perth.
England batter Harry Brook has cautioned against underestimating Australia in the Ashes series, even as doubts linger over the availability of their captain and fast bowler, Pat Cummins, for the opener in Perth.
England on Tuesday named a 16-man squad for the Ashes series starting in Australia in November with Ben Stokes, who is currently nursing a shoulder injury, set to return to lead the side.
Only three England captains have secured the urn in Australia in the last 50 years, with Andrew Strauss the last in 2010/11.
Total runs scored by Virat Kohli in Tests so far this year: 1,182. Last year, Virat aggregated 1,215 runs, notes Rajneesh Gupta.
Following a disappointing return to international cricket in the first ODI at Perth, Virat Kohli spent a considerable time in the nets on Tuesday, firing some of his trademark shots during the Indian team's first training session ahead of the second ODI in Adelaide on Thursday.
Australia paceman Mitchell Starc has warned against flattening surfaces to maximise five-day revenue as England's aggressive "Bazball" approach looms.
England last won the Ashes in 2015 and have not won a series in Australia since 2011 but Root was optimistic about their chances this time around.
The opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Perth marked a big moment for two young Indian talents, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made their Test debuts.
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.
Rohit Sharma shared a few words of encouragement before presenting the cap to the youngster.
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood feels it is possible to do the balancing act with meticulous planning and strategising.
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.
Anushka Sharma was seen cheering for her husband, during the first Test match against Australia in Perth on Saturday.
A look back at a few memorable showdowns in the last decade and half that had the quintessential crests and troughs of Test cricket.
Bishan Bedi-led India held the previous record when they thrashed Australia by 222 runs in the Melbourne Test in December 1977.
Injuries prevented Archer appearing in subsequent Ashes series but the 30-year-old is now fit and firing and will be part of England's high-octane pace attack that many think could power them to a first series win in Australia since 2010-11.
Perth's WACA ground will not host a match in Australia's summer of cricket for the first time since 1976-77, with the four Tests against India in 2014-15 to be played in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Controversial umpire Steve Bucknor is most likely to sit out of the third cricket Test in Perth after a livid Indian team went public with their grouse against the veteran West Indian.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri outlined the quality of Steve Smith that has always amazed him, and expects the captaincy for the first Ashes Test in Perth to bring the best out of him.
Trescothick, who played in three Ashes campaigns including a triumphant 2005 series on home soil, said England's batters were also looking to be smarter on the pitch.
Nitish flaunted his six-hitting muscle in the first innings and showed signs of living up to the belief that the former Indian skipper has exuded in him. After being put to bat by Australia, rain interrupted the play on four instances, and the Indian team toiled for rhythm as well as runs.
'The moment was right': Head floors England with match-winning hundred
Australian top order batsman Shaun Marsh was unable to fulfill a media engagement ahead of the third Test against India in Perth because of illness on Monday.
Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped from the Test side during the tour of West Indies in June-July, has since hit three centuries in one-dayers and a couple more in Sheffield Shield for Queensland.
Australia batter Matthew Short believes his team's pacers will continue to exploit Virat Kohli's recent weakness outside off stump when India face Australia in the second ODI, in Adelaide, on Thursday.
England's Ashes hopes rest largely on the all-round performance of talismanic captain Ben Stokes, who took 17 wickets against India in the recent home series.
'I'm worried. We're going to wander in and have a little game with the 'A' team. (It will be) 'Alright mate, how are you? Good on ya' and we're going to go and perform?'
Australia flew pacer Ryan Harris to Sydney to join his teammates rather than letting him play for Brisbane Heat in Friday's Big Bash match at the Gabba.
As England and India gear up for the final showdown in the five-match series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, former England speedster Stuart Broad feels the hosts should make some changes to their Playing XI and rest tearaway Jofra Archer.
Former skipper Sourav Ganguly has urged captain Rohit Sharma to travel to Australia 'very soon' to join the Indian team.
England's Stokes praises Australia's Head, supports his own errant batters
Now 29, Renshaw is hopeful of having another run in Test whites and believes being father to two young children has helped give him a sense of perspective.
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