Australia recalled wicketkeeper Tim Paine for the first time in seven years in a selection bombshell while dropping opening batsman Matt Renshaw in a surprising Ashes squad for the series against England.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived in Australia on the second leg of his three-nation tour during which he will attend the annual G20 summit and hold bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who stepped down after the Ashes series in England, took a shot at his erstwhile team mate Andrew Symonds for questioning his leadership credentials.
Australia's head cricket coach Darren Lehmann hopes the test team can avenge the Wallabies' Rugby World Cup final defeat by the All Blacks with a victory in the series opener in Brisbane starting this week.
Following the retirements of Chris Rogers, captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson, Smith will lead a team in transition into the three-match series which wraps up with cricket's first day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Two-times Grand Slam champion Pat Rafter's return to the big-time after retiring 13 years ago lasted just 73 minutes when he and his former Davis Cup team mate Lleyton Hewitt lost in straight sets in the Australian Open doubles.
Recovering from a knee surgery, Australian pacer Ryan Harris is eyeing a return to international cricket in the Test series against India later this year.
Rajneesh Gupta gives us a list of noteworthy statistics from first-class and Ranji Trophy
'He's been receiving treatment from a doctor. He's big and powerful when he's not happy. We decided he needed some treatment but there was no way he was going to go and get treatment this morning, so we called the police.'
Shane Watson's spectacular decline as Australia's premier all-rounder has not yet robbed him of his self-belief and the 33-year-old is still hopeful of making a comeback in the World Cup team.
Indian contingent would be aiming to make it all good with strong medal-winning performances when the acutely-low-on-buzz Commonwealth Games start
A cheating scandal that has ripped through the core of Australia's most venerated pastime, cricket, prompted church leaders to provide guidance over the Easter weekend on how to emerge from the moral tailspin.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting says England's only hope of winning a Test in the upcoming Ashes series is the day/night match in Adelaide and has predicted a 4-0 victory for the hosts.
Manoj Tiwary and Robin Uthappa have been named India 'A' captains of the four-day and one-day squads respectively, which will leave for a month-long tour of Australia.
Having enjoyed two successful stints with Australian cricket, American fielding guru Mike Young, who has also had a stint with India in December last year, is set to join the Kangaroos once again ahead of the ODI tri-series against India and England.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday.
Under political fire and ecologists' ire, the group hires Suhel Seth, who will work closely with the promoters and the social media, corporate communications and external public relations team.
Roger Federer warmed up for next month's Wimbledon championships by swatting aside David Goffin 7-6(2), 6-1 to win the Halle Open title for the 10th time on Sunday.
Australia batsman Michael Clarke has said his recovery from surgery on his torn hamstring was progressing as expected and he still hoped to lead his country at next year's World Cup.
The fast bowler has no appetite to be eased in, however, and hopes to play all five Tests in a repeat of the 2013-14 series on home soil which Australia won 5-0.
The reticence of South Africa's players to participate in a day-night Test has resulted in Cricket Australia unable to confirm whether a pink-ball match would go ahead against the Proteas.
The stars attempt dare devil stunts.
The Congress on Thursday questioned the decision of State Bank of India to give $1 billion loan to Adani group for the development of Carmichael coal mine during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's just concluded visit to Australia.
Less than two days after the Taliban announced the launch of their official website hosting videos, a magazine, and its leaders' interviews and statements, it was taken down on Monday.
Forty years have passed since Chris O'Neil held the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup aloft as the last Australian women's champion in 1978.
The uncapped pair are the newcomers in captain Steven Smith's 15-man squad, which includes 10 players with less than 10 Tests, as Australia look to rebuild following a string of retirements after the Ashes defeat in England.
Australia remain optimistic about their Twenty20 World Cup campaign despite being shown up in all facets by India in the opening two matches of their current series. With Steve Smith leading an advanced party to New Zealand for the forthcoming ODI series, the Australians have made more changes to their XI, with Shane Watson to lead the side after skipper Aaron Finch suffered a hamstring injury in Friday night's second T20 defeat. In-form top-order batsman Usman Khawaja comes into the squad as Finch's replacement, and will likely open the batting alongside Shaun Marsh. Finch is awaiting scan results and the Australia camp is bullish he will be able to return before the start of the World Cup in India on March 8.
The relentless grind of the professional tennis tour proved too much for Australia's Ashleigh Barty during her teenage years but a break from the game to play cricket appears to be paying some pretty big dividends.
We all want the same things for our children. We want them to grow up to love and be loved, to follow their dreams, to find success. Mostly, though, we want them to be happy. But just how much control do we have over our children's happiness? A must read from Lachmi Deb Roy's Are You Overparenting? Why Doing Everything Possible Harms Your Child.
Australia have decided to put captain Michael Clarke under wraps with fast bowlers Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle ahead of next week's Ashes opener, withdrawing the trio from domestic fixtures to prepare for the test in Brisbane.
An Australian environmental group has launched a legal challenge against Adani Enterprises' $7 billion Carmichael coal mine project in the Galilee Basin.
Australia's Olympic hurdles champion Sally Pearson has split with her coach Sharon Hannan after 14 years, citing a need for a fresh start.
Joe Burns will bat at number six when he makes his debut for Australia in the third Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting on Friday. The 25-year-old, regarded as one Australia's most promising young batsmen, replaced injured all-rounder Mitch Marsh in one of two changes to the Australian team that won last week's second Test in Brisbane. Paceman Ryan Harris, who missed the second Test because of a thigh problem, returns at the expense of Mitchell Starc.
Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of this week's third Test against India in Melbourne with uncapped batsman Joe Burns coming into the 13-man squad to replace him.
Progress on the mine was blocked in August after a claim Adani failed to take into account the welfare of the yakka skink lizard and ornamental snake.
Australia have appointed former England batsman Graeme Hick as high performance coach for their talent development programme, after employing the Zimbabwe-born 47-year-old as a consultant for the past four months.
Sean Abbott alone will decide whether he wants to return to first class cricket at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday, two weeks after his short-pitched delivery felled Phillip Hughes at the same wicket, according to his state team.
David Warner hit a record century inside one session and his fellow opener Matt Renshaw a maiden hundred over three as Australia reached 365 for three at close of play on the opening day of the third Test against Pakistan on Tuesday.
Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff joined Brisbane Heat on a short-term deal in the Big Bash League (BBL) on Thursday, extending his surprise return to Twenty20 cricket.
The aborigines alleged that Adani was misleading the public.
