Australia captain Steven Smith said he was embarrassed by his team's performance against South Africa and accused his players of lacking pride in their wickets after another batting collapse paved the way to a crushing 2-0 series defeat.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji reveal the Most Valuable Players of the Inda-Australia ODI series.
'I cannot believe that D'Arcy Short has been left out of the side. I don't know what he's done wrong. He can bowl and his batting at the top is dynamic. He's in terrific form, and he and Finch make an awesome partnership at the top'
Senior South Africa batsman Hashim Amla, who is finally getting to play in the Indian Premier League, feels he is now more comfortable with T20 format and there is no reason why conventional batsmen like him can't succeed in the shortest format. Amla was branded as a Test specialist early on in his career but 12 years after making his international debut, he is a valuable asset for the team across all formats. To add to that, his recent run of form in T20s has clearly shown how well he has adjusted to the slam bang version of the game. "There has been a lot of T20 cricket of late and that helps. Yes you do try to hit a few, innovate but the basics remain the same," said Amla, who joined Kings XI Punjab as a late replacement for Shaun Marsh.
Rising Pune Supergiant look to build on gains against Kings XI Punjab.
Skipper Steve Smith led the way with another torrent of runs as Australia raced to 251 for six and a lead of 348 over India before rain stopped play at the end of the fourth day of the fourth Test on Friday.
The Indian duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on Wednesday became the first set of spinners to be jointly ranked number one in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers.
Aus coach lauds Dhoni's fitness
The Australians only had themselves to blame for their defeat on Friday as they had several opportunities to turn the game their way.
With Australia wobbling at 76 for four on day two, Smith dragged his side back from the brink over eight-and-a-half hours of gut-busting graft and strode off the Gabba after tea on day three with an unbeaten 141 from 326 balls.
It was only a fourth win in 20 one-dayers going back to June 2017 for world champions Australia and came at the same Sydney Cricket Ground where their first home Test series loss to India was sealed on Monday.
With two days left, and Australia still 386 runs adrift of their score, India will fancy their chances of winning their first-ever Test series Down Under.
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.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows the introduction of broadcast technology has enhanced the viewing experience for fans but the Indian skipper has called for restraint after the overhead 'Spidercam' interfered with play in Saturday's one-dayer against Australia.
The 60,000-seat arena will host its first Test after a rich 47-year run at the nearby WACA, located on the opposite bank of the SwanRiver, and the grassy drop-in wicket unveiled on Thursday has fuelled anticipation of a pace bowler's paradise.
(Ashwin) was hard to score off and Virat set some really good fields. It wasn't easy but hopefully we can keep finding a way, says Australian debutant Marcus Harris
Travis Head scored an unbeaten half-century on his home debut to give Australia hope of reeling in India's first innings lead at the close of day two of the first Test on Friday.
New Zealand strike bowler Tim Southee will miss the upcoming One-Day International series against Australia but Blackcaps coach Mike Hesson is optimistic the seamer would recover from a foot injury in time for the subsequent Test series.
'I am extremely honoured and excited to lead Kings XI Punjab this season. I would like to thank the franchisee for having faith in me and entrusting me this opportunity,' said Australia's T20 captain.
Rohit Sharma struck his second successive hundred of the series but once again the Indians were comfortably outclassed by Australia by seven wickets, in the second One-Day International in Brisbane, on Friday.
They have not lost to the West Indies in 14 Tests dating back to 2003.
Kings XI Punjab's the team's director of cricket operations Virender Sehwag came down heavily at the team's 'irresponsible' batsmen, after Rising Pune Supergiant bowled them out for an embarrassing 73.
With an aim to stay relevant till the business end, a desperate Kings XI Punjab will be aiming a comprehensive victory against a down and out Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League, in Bengaluru, on Friday.
Australia will start favourites in Thursday's clash but a passionate Bangladesh are expected to make life tough for the holders.
On a roll with four consecutive victories, two-time champions Mumbai Indians would look to continue the winning streak when they take on Kings XI Punjab in an Indian Premier League match, in Indore, on Thursday.
RCB began their campaign without skipper and star batsman Virat Kohli as well as another key player A B de Villiers due to injuries and lost their opening match against defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Dharamsala, on Saturday.
'The three quicks bowled pretty good pace, they are relentless in pressure'
Parthiv Patel shone with a breezy 58-ball 81 and powered Mumbai Indians to a 25-run win over Kings XI Punjab whose campaign turned from bad to worse in the Indian Premier League.
The Men in Blue have never won a bilateral ODI contest on Australian soil.
Having recovered from a hamstring strain, Usman Khawaja celebrated his recall with a glittering 144, with Queensland team mate Joe Burns making 128 in front of a festive Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd to drive Australia to 345-3 at stumps.
A series win in Australia will certainly put Kohli on a higher pedestal even though the quality of the home team's batting line-up suffered adversely due to the bans of former skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner.
Ravichandran Ashwin's 25th five-wicket haul was the cornerstone of India's remarkable turnaround as the hosts defeated Australia by 75 runs in the second cricket Test to level the four-match series.
The Indian Playing XI will also have Bhuvneshwar Kumar on Sunday as he replaces Mohammed Shami, who was hit on the leg in his follow through during the third match.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock have achieved career-high positions in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings after firing South Africa to an emphatic 177-run victory over Australia in the opening Test of the three-match series in Perth on Monday.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 3rd Test played between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town on Sunday
The Virat Kohli-led team ticked all the boxes in their opening win of the series Australia on Saturday.
The second Test between India and Bangladesh at Kolkata's Eden Gardens will be the first day-night Test on Indian soil, making India the seventh country to host a day-night Test.
Captain Steven Smith was well-entrenched for his third century in successive Tests even though India restricted Australia to 259 for five on the opening day of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. Electing to bat, he again was the visitors' main tormentor, anchoring the innings with an undefeated 72 at stumps. Check out some photos from the day's play.
Scroll down to see the list of other awardees and cricketers who glamed up the night in their sartorial best.
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