Patel smashed 74 and dominated his 114-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Ashwin to rescue India
Uncapped all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius has been named in the South Africa's squad as a replacement for injured Dale Steyn for the remaining Tests of the three-match series against Australia. The 33-year-old ruled out of the tour after fracturing his right shoulder during Australia's first innings of the opening Test, which the Proteas went on to win by massive 177 runs at the WACA Ground in Perth.
Australian explosive batsman David Warner has become the second player of his country and fourth overall to enter cricket's most exclusive 6000 runs club in Twenty20 format.
Images from Day 4 of the 4th Test at MCG in Melbourne on Friday
Batsman Shaun Marsh and all-rounder James Faulkner have been ruled out of Australia's limited overs tour of South Africa, Cricket Australia said on Thursday.
Australia captain Finch willing to demote himself when Smith, Warner return
Aaron Finch and his men arrived in India as clear underdogs, having endured a wretched couple of years in the format during which they lost six ODI series in a row and were ravaged by a ball-tampering scandal.
Australia's selectors have responded to the threat of a first ever Test series sweep on home soil by dropping five players from their squad for the third match against South Africa, which begins in Adelaide on Thursday. Joe Burns, Adam Voges and Callum Ferguson, as well as wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, paid the price for a string of batting collapses, while seamer Joe Mennie was also axed after the innings defeat in the second Test in Hobart.
India's bowlers once again exposed the chinks in jittery Australian batting line-up leaving the hosts tottering at 104 for four in pursuit of a tough target of 323 on the fourth day of the first Test.
Dinesh Chandimal smashed a maiden double hundred and Prabath Jayasuriya claimed 12 wickets in a dream debut to script Sri Lanka's series-levelling victory by an innings and 39 runs in the second Test against Australia in Galle on Monday.
Their path to the semi-finals looking relatively easier in comparison, Australia will fancy their chances when they lock horns with a struggling Pakistan side whose hopes hangs by a thread in the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Friday.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth on Sunday.
Having had a great run for the 'Orange Army' this season, Travis Head is keen on coming back to IPL next year too.
The 30-year-old will now have the chance to soak up a first Test in front of family and friends as Australia look to push for a 2-0 series lead.
McDonald 'disappointed' with McCullum's comment post Bairstow dismissal
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test at Perth on Sunday
The Queensland all-rounder offers another slow bowling option with his leg-spin at the Sydney Cricket Ground, traditionally Australia's most spin-friendly wicket.
Picking up where he left off in the first Test in Brisbane, the opener scored 244 not out for his third century in three innings as the hosts dominated New Zealand's bowlers as ruthlessly as they had in the 208-run victory at the Gabba.
India's quest to find the right combination for the upcoming World Cup ended with a 35-run defeat in the decisive fifth ODI against Australia as they lost the series 2-3.
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.
It still left Australia in possession of a sizeable lead of 88 and Lyon wrecked India's top order before the home side could erase their deficit.
Australia, who have 10 points from six games, are steadily inching closer towards the semi-finals. The reigning champions have won all their matches apart from the loss against tournament favourites India.
Debutant Pakistan off-spinner Bilal Asif ripped through the Australian middle-order with six wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 202 on the third day of the first Test, in Dubai, on Tuesday.
India moved within two wickets of an emphatic victory in the third Test after reducing Australia to 258 for eight at the close of day four.
Australia declared their first innings on 556 for nine and then skittled out Pakistan for 148 to seize control of the second Test in Karachi on Monday.
Mitchell Marsh kept calm after New Zealand got the sniff of an unlikely victory and scored his sixth one-day international half century to guide Australia to a four-wicket win in the second match of their one-day series on Saturday.
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between India and England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday
Shane Watson feels that the faltering Indian batsmen will fare much better against Australia later this year compared to how they performed against England in the ongoing five-match series.
India would be pressing for a decisive first-innings lead in the contest when play resumes on Friday.
Captain Ben Stokes and Harry Brook helped England stretch their lead over Australia to 189 on day three of the crucial fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford, with the hosts moving on to 506-8 at lunch.
JP Duminy says Australia could trump the hosts 2-1 in the much anticipated Test series
Concerns that senior players would pull out of the tour due to security issues after both England and New Zealand withdrew from tours of Pakistan late last year have proven unfounded.
The four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy that promises a lot of twists and turns, engrossing sub-plots and probably career-defining performances.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan, in Brisbane, on Thursday.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels the potency of Australia's pace attack in English conditions gives them the edge in next month's World Test Championship final against India, who could be "badly affected" by the absence of injured Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
Playing against India behind closed doors in the much-anticipated Test series at the end of the year might end up being an advantage for the home side, according to Australia batsman Usman Khawaja. Cricket Australia are desperate for the tour, scheduled for December and January, to go ahead as the lucrative Indian TV rights for the series would go a long way to easing a financial crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
A lot of focus is on how Australia will cope with the dangerous Ravichandran Ashwin on turning tracks in India.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between Australia and South Africa in Perth, on Friday.
Images from Day 3 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, on Friday.
The second Ashes Test between England and Australia is scheduled from August 14 to August 18 at Lord's Cricket Ground.
