Ricky Ponting looked poised to make amends for running out Usman Khawaja with a big score as Australia reached 154-3 in reply to New Zealand's first innings 295 after the second day of the first Test on Friday.
Smith said England's batters may not fare so well against the Australian bowling attack
Jacques Kallis became the fourth leading run-scorer in tests as South Africa reached 213 for four at tea after winning the toss on the first day of the second and final Test against Australia at the Wanderers on Thursday.
Josh Hazlewood finished with a nine-wicket match haul as world champions Australia crushed a depleted West Indies by 10 wickets.
The former Australia captain declared that Australia's top-order batsman Usman Khawaja will outscore Indian skipper Virat Kohli in the upcoming four-Test series.
After Australia resumed on 59-2, West Indies made frequent inroads to stay in the contest.
Debutant Shaun Marsh and Michael Hussey completed centuries on a rain-affected third day of the second Test on Saturday as Australia established a 237-run first-innings lead over Sri Lanka.
Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique made a solid start to set up a thrilling final day in the deciding third Test
Steve Smith is back in the Test squad along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, the other two players hit with long bans for their involvement in the Cape Town scandal in March, 2018.
Reports of the impending demise of Mike Hussey's Test career proved a little premature on Friday when he hit 81 not out to keep Australia in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Australia named a 17-man squad on Monday for the first Ashes Test against England in Brisbane as selectors looked to keep their options open after injuries and poor form struck some of their key players.
Batting first, West Indies scored 229 in 49.2 overs after being reduced to 104 for 6 at one stage.
The match is delicately poised after a see-saw battle on Monday with Australia on 107-3 in their second innings chasing a victory target of 281 to take a series lead.
Australia's 'A' tour of South Africa has fallen victim to the pay dispute between the players and Cricket Australia after the squad decided not to travel as scheduled on Friday in the absence of a new agreement.
Home Tests against an undermanned Pakistan may struggle to excite even the most ardent Australian cricket fan but angst over David Warner's farewell tour has given the series a much-welcomed boost.
Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur led India's spirited fightback, but Australia were sitting in control after stretching their lead to 296 runs at stumps on Day 3.
Mitchell Swepson - in just his second ever T20I - took the big wicket of Virat Kohli
James Faulkner, man-of-the-match in the 2015 World Cup final against New Zealand, has been omitted from the 15-man squad named on Thursday, with selectors opting for all-rounders Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.
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.
'Kuhnemann put his hand up straight away and did a fantastic job'
India are chasing a victory in Ahmedabad to confirm their place in the final of the World Test Championship against Australia in June.
Despite dropping six points in the ICC Test rankings, R Ashwin remained on top of the points table, along with James Anderson.
Australia out for Pakistan sweep in David Warner Week
Green made a bigger impact in the ongoing contest in Ahmedabad where he smashed 114, only the third century in the bowler-dominated series.
Sydneysider Warner went into the current series with question marks over his form due to a lack of test runs, but a rapidfire 164 in the first innings of the opening test in Perth erased any doubts over his position in the team.
With the pitch a spinner's paradise, Nathan Lyon stood up and rallied his team back into contention.
Poor batting was at the heart of the debacle.
Pant equals Dhoni's record of most catches in a Test innings
Australia will field the same team in the second Ashes Test against England, captain Steve Smith said on Friday, with uncapped local seamer Chadd Sayers and quick Jackson Bird again missing out.
The Indian team, set to play the second Test against Australia from Friday, had to switch hotels in New Delhi.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Test played between New Zealand and Australia in Wellington on Friday.
Ravichandran Ashwin is fast closing in on the No 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between Australia and South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Factbox on the four-Test series between Australia and India, which begins on Thursday
Photos from Day 3 of the first Test played at The Gabba on Saturday
England failed to make the inroads into the Australian batting order they needed after gambling on bowling first in the inaugural day-night Ashes Test on Saturday and the hosts reached the second break on 138 for two.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, who was at his glorious best against Australia during the second Test of the series in Karachi, gained three spots to move up to No.5 in the rankings chart.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against Australia in Adelaide?
Josh Hazlewood will be Australia's third pace bowler in this week's first Test against New Zealand after Peter Siddle was named 12th man on Wednesday.
Steve Smith ended his century drought and Marnus Labuschagne struck his first Test hundred abroad to steer Australia to 298/5 on day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday.
