Australia coach Mickey Arthur on Wednesday said the controversial decision to axe four players, including vice-captain Shane Watson, for the third Test against India was "a culmination of lots of small minor indiscretions".
Former cricketers such as Dean Jones and Michael Vaughan on Monday reacted sharply to the exclusion of four Australian cricketers, which includes vice-captain Shane Watson, from the side for the third Test against India starting Thursday.
Usman Khawaja along with three others was suspended for one Test during Australia's tour of India in 2013 for not submitting a 'homework' assigned by the coach.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Director Amrit Thomas has said the franchise team was interested in buying back Yuvraj Singh, who was eventually snapped up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs. 7 crore in the IPL players' auction.
Even though Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni picked up the pace of scoring at the backend of the innings with 44 needed off the last two overs, Dhoni ran out of steam along with CSK's run chase as they lost by 7 runs.
Australian skipper Michael Clarke says the disrespectful attitude of the four players was "the straw that broke the camel's back" but believes that Shane Watson can still comeback to the side as vice-captain.
After masterminding Rajasthan Royals' nine-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders with an all-round show to take them into the play-offs, Shane Watson has said it has given them a chance to make the May 24 final.
Watson also criticised MI for buying injured Jofra Archer for a huge sum.
Chennai Super Kings comprises some of the oldest players in the Indian Premier League, and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows fully well that they cannot be a great fielding outfit but can make it up in batting and bowling.
Royal Challengers Bangalore's Stuart Binny said he is not vying for the all-rounder's spot in the IPL team with Shane Watson and added that it will be the Australian veteran who will be in competition with other foreign players. "I don't think it is between me and Wato (Watson). He falls under foreign category. He will be vying with foreign players. I am not worried whether I will get into the playing XI from the very first match. My role is to get as much as practice right now," he told reporters after a practice match played under lights at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Asked what he expects from his RCB team mates Chris Gayle and A B De Villiers, Binny said he is eager to share the dressing room with Gayle and De Villiers, having spent some time with Watson at Rajasthan Royals. "I have played with Wato for five IPL seasons. So, I know exactly how Wato plays this brand of cricket, and the boldness he has when he comes out to play his cricket," he said.
Rajneesh Gupta picks instances of sledging which backfired spectacularly.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels even though he backs the hosts to win the series 3-0, India should field five specialist bowlers including two spinners in the final cricket Test, starting January 6.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and SunRisers Hyderabad, in Dubai.
Beating India in their own backyard is the ultimate challenge and the boys are up for the knockout battle against the hosts in the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Sunday, said Australian all-rounder Shane Watson.
James Anderson is 'praying' his England career is not over after being left out of Test tour of the West Indies.
Australian vice captain Shane Watson has confirmed that he would return to bowling in Cape Town for the first of two T20 fixtures against South Africa.
Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid blasted Mumbai Indians' Keiron Pollard for his boorish celebrations following his catch to dismiss Shane Watson.
'What captains want are players who move well in the field.' 'It doesn't matter which year a player is born in, whether you are 19 or 20 -- you have to be agile.'
Images from the ICC Champions Trophy Group A match between Australia and West Indies in Johannesburg, on Saturday.
Australian top order batsman Rob Quiney is desperate to get another taste of Test cricket and will be ready to go if Shane Watson is unfit for next week's second match against South Africa.
David Warner is set to lead the Delhi Capitals in the upcoming IPL season and assistant coach Shane Watson said the opener will have a point to prove in the tournament.
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.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals on Saturday.
Statistical highlights of the World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe played in Ahmedabad on Monday.
The three-times IPL champions played a practice game at the Sevens Stadiums in Dubai where the CSK batsmen and bowlers got a good run.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland on Wednesday backed the team management that had axed four players, including then vice-captain Shane Watson, ahead of the Mohali Test against India in March on grounds of breach of discipline.
Images from the IPL played between Rajasthan vs Hyderabad on Saturday.
Rajasthan Royals has had a controversial tenure in their six seasons in the Indian Premier League but their new captain Shane Watson feels it would have been a "shame" if the champions of the inaugural year were barred from playing in the seventh edition.
Chennai opener Shane Watson rode his luck to smash the match's only half-century but his 80 could not prevent his team going down to Mumbai for the fourth time in this year's IPL.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni slammed his batsmen for lack of boundaries in the last three overs.
Check out the Rajasthan Royals squad for the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League.
Desperate to put an end to the controversy surrounding the suspension of four players including vice-captain Shane Watson, Australia skipper Michael Clarke said he doesn't want to "look backwards" and focus on the third Test, starting on Thursday.
Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track as Chennai Super Kings coasted to a six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in Tuesday's Indian Premier League match in Delhi.
Shane Watson overcame a slow start on his way to an unbeaten 117 to guide the Chennai Super Kings to their third Indian Premier League title with a eight-wicket win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
Stand-in Australian captain Shane Watson paid glowing tributes to Rahul Dravid, describing the retiring Indian batting stalwart as a "phenomenal man" and the "nicest guy" he has ever met in cricket.
Australian opening batsman Shane Watson, who hit a majestic century on Sunday, said that winning the Melbourne ODI against England was the perfect way to start the seven-match series.
"Conditions are different in India and they have so many world class players, especially in the batting and spin-bowling."
Cricket NSW Chairman Dr Harry Harinath believes Cricket Australia needs to set guidelines regarding any restraint on Test players who would be competing for places in the Big Bash League franchises.
Images from the second day's play in the first Test between India and Australia, in Mohali, on Saturday.
Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson and all rounder Shane Watson may miss the first Test against New Zealand after suffering injuries during the South Africa tour.
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