Australia has named Shane Watson in a 13-man squad for the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide next week, but said it was too early to guarantee the player's selection as he recovers from a calf strain.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's five-bowler theory backfired heavily as Australia rode on Shane Watson's all-round brilliance to crush India by nine wickets in a totally lop-sided Super Eights contest of the World T20 in Colombo on Friday.
Australia were too sharp for rusty South Africa as the touring side won the first Twenty20 international by five wickets with three balls to spare on Thursday. South Africa, playing their first match in seven months, struggled to 146 for seven thanks to JP Duminy's brilliant 67, but Shane Watson's 52 off 39 balls laid the platform for a comfortable run chase by the Australians.
Injured Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has not given up hope of playing some part in the Test series against India and is aiming to be fit for the third match in Perth, starting on January 13.
Australian pace legend Jeff Thomson believes Shane Watson's surprise role as a Test opener is an insult to opening batsmen across the country.
Michael Hussey played a gem of an innings to overshadow Shane Watson's brilliant century and help Chennai Super Kings clinch a five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling Pepsi Indian Premier League match in Chennai, on Monday.
Australia vice-captain Shane Watson has signed up with Sydney Sixers in the Twenty20 Big Bash League and will take part in the tournament during the gap between the home Test series against New Zealand and India.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood received his reward for some fine domestic form on Wednesday when he was included in a pace-heavy 13-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against South Africa next month.
Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels Shane Watson is the best possible replacement for sacked all-rounder Andrew Symonds and has backed him to be in the playing XI during next month's Test series against India.
Shane Watson talks about his new role as opener and also how he is keeping away from injuries.
Brad Hodge was named 12th man while Michael Clarke moved up the batting order to four for the ICC Super Test.
Injury-prone Australian all-rounder Shane Watson may have to pick the formats he wants to play as part of the Cricket Board's plan to ensure his longevity on the field.
Losing Shane Watson early was the turning point of the match.
Australia's Shane Watson says the touring England side is one of the most complete in the game as they marched ominously towards an Ashes series-clinching victory against the 'totally outplayed' hosts on Thursday.
Shane Watson has gone from fringe Test candidate to one of the most important cricketers in the country within a month.
Shane Watson has stood down as vice captain of Australia in all cricket formats following the Test team's humiliating 4-0 series loss to India, citing a need to focus his attention on scoring runs and taking wickets.
With India stretching their lead to 301 with all 10 wickets in hand after day three of the second Test in Mohali, Australia may be down but they are surely not out, asserted all-rounder Shane Watson. Watson top-scored with a sedate 78 as Australia folded for 268 in their first essay, even though India, having piled in 469 in their first innings, didn't enforce follow-on.
Whatever role he ultimately plays in the Australia team this year, the sight of Shane Watson driving and pulling his way to a blockbuster of a century at Manuka Oval on Wednesday was a joy for his compatriots to behold.
Shane Watson celebrated his return to international cricket with a sparkling innings of 122 to drive Australia to a 39-run victory over West Indies in the third one-dayer and an unassailable 3-0 series lead.
Both Morgan and Watson believe Rohit Sharma's team has the necessary firepower to win the title.
Intimidated by the marauding Shane Watson, Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore joked that his team will either have to poison the Australian all-rounder's food or hope that he has a bad day in office in their crucial World Twenty20 Super Eight clash in Colombo on Tuesday.
Memes, angry tweets, and sarcastic jabs poured in, with some calling him a 'fraud' and others even demanding he return the Rs 27 crore paid by the franchise.
Star all-rounder Shane Watson and pacer Doug Bollinger on Wednesday returned to Australia's 13-member squad after a brief break for the first two One-Day Internationals of a five-match series against the West Indies starting on February 7.
Cricket Australia is expected to release Shane Watson to his Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals for next month's US $6 million Champions League Twenty20.
Skipper Ricky Ponting and all-rounder Shane Watson returned from a short break along with fit-again wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in the 15-member Australian cricket squad announced on Tuesday for the ODI series against Sri Lanka next month.
De Villiers was set to lead the side in Kohli's absence but the South African was ruled out of the team's opening game of the season on Wednesday.
The Australian all-rounder was ruled out of the first Test against England after failing to recover from a hamstring injury.
Chennai Super Kings completed a fairy tale comeback from disgrace to glory, clinching their third Indian Premier League title after imposing all-rounder Shane Watson single-handedly hammered Sunrises Hyderabad into submission with a blazing hundred in the final, in Mumbai.
Australia captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson will miss the final one-day match against England in Perth on Sunday to get some rest before the World Cup, Cricket Australia said on Thursday. Adam Voges, another all-rounder, and offspinner Jason Krezja would join the Australia team in Perth for the match and series vice captain Cameron White would lead the side in Clarke's absence.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Chennai.
CSK changed their opening partnership, and the management sent in Sam Curran as an opener instead of Shane Watson.
Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson scored unbeaten centuries as Australia thrashed England by nine wickets to storm into the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, in Centurion, on Friday. Ponting smashed his 28th century in ODIs to finish unbeaten on 111 in 115 deliveries, while Watson blazed his way to a strokeful 136 from 132 deliveries, which was laced with ten boundaries and seven sixes.
After being invited to bat, India Masters rode on skipper Sachin Tendulkar's 42-run knock before Yuvraj Singh's vintage hitting powered them to a daunting 220 for 7.
Images from Day 4 of the third Ashes Test in Perth on Monday.
'I heard that this is the last IPL of MS Dhoni but I don't think'
'Have a feeling this is the last time we are seeing Rohit in Mumbai Indians jersey.'
Rajasthan Royals' chief coach Paddy Upton has backed Australian all-rounder Shane Watson to succeed the just-retired Rahul Dravid as captain. He says the franchise would want to retain the former India skipper in some capacity.
Neverending injury concerns and a string of promising all-rounders in the wings have not dulled Shane Watson's optimism of playing a leading role for Australia across all formats of cricket.
Shane Watson came to the party for the second straight match. He stamped his authority with a magnificent innings of 105 not out as Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets to successfully defend their ICC Champions Trophy crown, at SuperSport Park in Centurion, on Monday.
Baffled by Chennai Super Kings's tactics in their clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson said he does not understand why Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to bat lower down the order.
