Smith may lead Asutralia in the fourth and final Test against India as regular captain Pat Cummins stays put in Sydney.
Kagiso Rabada ripped through the West Indies line-up as South Africa clinched an 87-run win over West Indies in the first Test.
Alongside the experienced Nathan Lyon could play rookie Todd Murphy, who is yet to play an international match.
The careers of senior pros Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma are on the line when the selectors pick the Indian Test squad for the coming tour of South Africa.
After India outplayed Australia with bat and ball in Melbourne, Captain Virat Kohli is convinced India have the firepower to break new ground.
Australian opener David Warner's impassioned appeal for the return of his missing baggy green cap for his final Test has been successful with the rucksack containing the iconic headwear discovered at the team hotel in Sydney.
Pat Cummins will not play the third Test against India in Indore starting March 1
The first Test between India and Australia may be shifted from Brisbane to Adelaide, the adopted home town of Phillip Hughes, providing both teams more time to come to terms with the tragic death of the cricketer who was to turn 26.
CA and Venues New South Wales are working together to ensure the safety of patrons attending the Pink Test on January 7
Paine said Pucovski would open the batting if he was selected for the match
Australia opener David Warner will miss the second Test against India this week because he left a biosecure bubble to receive treatment for a groin injury that would have ruled him out of the match in any case.
Pattinson sustained the injury while on 'approved leave' from the team's hub in Melbourne
Australia's pace legend Glenn McGrath has tested positive for COVID-19 days before the Pink Test which is played in memory of his late wife Jane, who died of breast cancer, and is used as a fundraiser to support patients suffering from the dreaded disease.
If Rahane's side can go 2-1 up and ensure the retention of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it will be one of the finest hours in the history of Indian cricket
Ian Healy has taken a potshot at the Board of Control for Cricket in India, saying the idea behind Pat Cummins' side not playing a tour game in India ahead of next month's four-Test series is because "we no longer trust" the facilities provided by the host nation.
Images from Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England, at the Narendra Modi stadium, in Motera, Ahmedabad.
Cameron Green said that his body is in great shape, where he can contribute well as a bowler
Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia at the SCG on Saturday and was taken for a scan.
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said the hosts would field their strongest side against Pakistan, which means a welcome return for spinner Nathan Lyon, who will chase his 500th Test wicket after injury ruled him out of the last three matches of the Ashes.
Australian cricket officials were put on alert after the number of cases in the northern beaches outbreak in Sydney reached 28 on Friday.
Mithali Raj-led India will take on Meg Lanning's Australia at the WACA ground in Perth from September 30 in what will be only the second day-night Test in women's cricket.
In what came as a welcome break from the on-field grind, the Indian cricket team was taken for a cruise ride along Sydney Harbour by the Indian High Commission, where they also hosted a dinner for the visiting team.
Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the second Ashes Test in Adelaide with a side injury, Cricket Australia said on Monday.
Australia, following their eight-wicket win in the third and final Test against Pakistan at Sydney are on 56.25 percentage points and have pushed India to the second spot in the latest WTC standings issued by ICC on Saturday.
Reader Deepak Bansal sent us a picture of Steve Waugh.
The first Test of the four-match series, beginning on December 17 will be played at the Adelaide Oval in a day-night contest. Australia have an unbeaten record in day-night Tests having won all the pink ball Tests they have played.
'As far as players and team management is concerned, we are focused on the game'
Australia opening batsman David Warner has been ruled out of next week's series-opening Test against India in Adelaide and will target a return for the second Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.
India play the next Test at Sachin Tendulkar's favourite hunting ground and this could just end his search for the elusive 100th ton, writes Haresh Pandya.
A crowd of more than 22,000 at his home Sydney Cricket Ground rose for a final ovation as Warner left the field.
India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that he felt like he was being "thrown under the bus" after a remark by former head coach Ravi Shastri left him crushed during a torrid phase in his career when he contemplated retirement multiple times.
The International Cricket Council has sent an official notice to Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal telling him that he is under investigation for allegedly fixing the Sydney Test.
India have recalled Ajinkya Rahane to reinforce their batting line-up, which will have to be at its best to negate the Australian attack.
Villa manager Gerrard to sit out two games after positive COVID test.
Australia's Khawaja reins in 'Little Uzzie' to set up Ashes run chase
England will have to conjure something special to deny Australia a 4-0 lead in the five-test series and Thorpe said the batsmen should take a leaf out of Bairstow's brave first-innings hundred despite a thumb injury.
Maxwell, who is the captain of Melbourne Stars in the BBL, became the 13th player from the franchise to test positive for the virus.
India's cricketers and staff have been cleared of COVID-19
Erskine hit back at Johnson, stating that his questioning Warner's selection isn't logical.
