Australia's hopes of winning back respect and moving on from a ball-tampering scandal that plunged the team into disgrace face their first test on Sunday when Tim Paine's rebuilding side meet Pakistan in the series-opener in Dubai.
Aaron Finch's side will head to Sunday's decider in Hobart buoyed by Australia's first win in the short format since January and having delivered some badly needed cheer for the struggling cricket nation.
Ricky Ponting said Australia is open to shuffling the batting line-up if the circumstances dictate a more flexible approach in the ongoing World Cup.
Hardik Pandya's leadership skills and India's overall World Cup preparedness will be under focus
The dew factor will go out of the window but the searing heat will be an issue when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on a better prepared Rajasthan Royals in the first of the 10 IPL double-headers, in Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
Images from the IPL 2022 match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.
India would look to finalise their batting order for the tournament-proper when they take on Australia in their second and final warm-up game in Dubai on Wednesday.
'It's a long series, our bowlers have had a really big workload and we feel we're going to need Mitch's bowling at some point.'
IMAGES from the IPL 2022 game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Mumbai, on Friday.
The new playing condition rules laid down by the International Cricket Council left Indian and Australian cricketers confused after it was applied in the rain-hit first Twenty20 International in Ranchi on Saturday.
Suresh Raina's return could not have been better-timed as Gujarat Lions, jolted by the tournament's biggest ever defeat, seek to revive their campaign when they face off with Kolkata Knight Riders.
The 21-year-old is now level with Englishman Jack Russell (vs South Africa at Johannesburg in 1995) and South Africa's AB de Villiers (vs Pakistan at Johannesburg in 2013).
'It's just frustrating; I'd imagine it's frustrating for everyone.'
A scrappy India will have to lift their game by several notches against an improving Australia when the two fierce rivals clash in a virtual quarter-final cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Sunday.
Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to continue with their risk-taking approach despite mixed returns when they on Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai on Friday.
Hazratullah Zazai (162 not out off 62) and Usman Ghani (73 off 48) set a new record for the opening-wicket partnership with a 236-run stand as Afghanistan surpassed Australia's 263 for 3 posted against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2016.
New Zealand will have their tails up and eye another upset when they resume the trans-Tasman rivalry with a strong Australian side.
India showed commendable character in Rajkot to level the series, proving that the panic buttons were pressed prematurely following the 10-wicket loss in Mumbai.
Australia spin legend Shane Warne feels if Michael Clarke is fit he should replace George Bailey in the side.
For South Africa, Rassie van der Dussen has advanced three slots to the sixth position, just one shy of his career-best, after scores of 34 not out and 52.
Gujarat Lions opener Aaron Finch was all praise for his 'Champion' West Indies team-mate Dwayne Bravo, who he feels 'keeps getting better and better with age'.
India were in with a very good chance of levelling the series in Melbourne on Friday after reducing Australia to 132 for 7 in 19 overs but rain put paid to their hopes.
Savouring their first win in IPL 10, Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina said it was a difficult proposition for his side to make a strong comeback in the tournament, especially after ending up on the losing side in their first two games.
Images from the fifth One-Day International between Australia and India in Sydney, on Saturday.
Though Smith is absolutely free to make a return to the national team for next year's World Cup and Ashes series in England, he can only fill back the leadership role in March 2020.
The mood in the Indian camp was summed up best by the skipper after a green pitch was unveiled on eve of the maiden Test at the new facility.
Australia beat India by four wickets in a nail-biting finish after wicket-keeper Brad Haddin and James Faulkner held their nerves to help Australia go past India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Earlier, paceman Mitchell Starc captured a career-best 6-43 and Rohit Sharma hit a century as India put up a total of 267 for 8. Check out the images from the match...
Australian batsmen yet again took the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners as they scored a massive 359 for five, equaling their highest ever total against India, in the second cricket ODI in Jaipur on Wednesday.
Images from the T20 World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia, in Dubai, on Sunday.
India captain Virat Kohli, on Sunday, criticised the Decision Review System, saying 'it is not consistent at all and becoming a talking point in every game'.
KKR are placed at the sixth spot with 12 points and they will not only have to win but do it with a big margin
Powered by in-form, inspirational leader in Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bangalore would look to inch closer to a maiden Indian Premier League title triumph when they take on table-toppers Gujarat Lions in the Qualifier I, in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
With the batting firepower in Australia's ranks, they cannot be ruled out as contenders to grasp it at the sixth attempt.
Veteran opener David Warner produced a feisty unbeaten 89 as Australia registered an emphatic eight-wicket win against West Indies to boost their semi-final hopes, at the T20 World Cup, in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis struck sublime centuries as South Africa chased down a massive score to beat Australia by seven wickets in the second One-Day International of the triangular series on Wednesday.
Featuring Watto, Wiese, Rahane, Hogg, Sarfaraz, Finch, de Kock, Tambe, Kulkarni, Maxwell...
India needed 14 runs from the last over and Pandya delivered with sixes off the second and fourth deliveries
The ICC's rating is presumably due to the uneven bounce that became more prevalent later in the recently-concluded second Test between Australia and India.
Speaking about the injured Mohsin Khan, coach Andy Flower said he had written Khan off from the Lucknow Super Giants' playing XI for the season.
Debutants Gujarat Lions became the first team to confirm a play-off berth with a thumping six-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League in Kanpur, on Saturday.
