...it won't be a cakewalk Former England opener Mark Butcher says a series win in Australia will seal India's greatness
There are those historic, memorable matches (the 1986 tied in Chennai, the Kolkata epic in 2001 and the Adelaide humdinger of 2015) that gripped our collective conscious.
Kohli's double ton was followed by a 50 in the second innings as he finished with 610 runs in the series, which India won 1-0 after the first and third Test ended in draws in Kolkata and New Delhi.
Australia's scheduled one-day international series against Afghanistan in India has been postponed, the cricket boards of the competing countries said on Sunday, leaving players free to fulfil their Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments.
Eyeing a maiden Test series win Down Under, the Indian cricket team left for Australia Friday for a gruelling tour, which will see them play four matches in whites, three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals.
Australia's unprecedented home Test series defeat to India in served as a "wake-up call" for Justin Langer, who reckons the series will prove as the defining moment of his coaching career. Langer was appointed as the Australian coach in May 2018, following the infamous ball tampering scandal that saw skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner slapped with year long bans.
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Injured Australia captain Michael Clarke completed an inspiring century after lunch on day two of the first Test against India on Wednesday, having returned to the crease following pain-killing injections on his back.
Australia and West Indies are set to lock horns in five T20Is and three ODIs in July this year.
'I think they need to have a good look at how they're playing.'
Australia looked destined for their biggest score of the series against India after a half century from debutant opener Will Pucovski helped them to 166 for two at the end of the rain-disrupted first day of the third Test in Sydney on Thursday.
Australia play India in three One-day internationals in Sydney and Canberra from Nov. 27, followed by three Twenty20's from Dec. 4.
With India and Australia clashing in a winner-takes-all finale to an enthralling series, the picturesque town of Dharamsala in the Himalayan foothills could hardly have asked for a better debut as a Test venue.
Having recovered from COVID-19, Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey left for Australia on Sunday via Doha, a top official of the IPL franchise said.
Harbhajan Singh has rated the current Australian team led by Steven Smith as the 'weakest ever' in recent times to tour the Indian sub-continent.
Jasprit Bumrah's amazing skill-set gives India a realistic chance of winning the World Cup but a 'freak' called David Warner might just retain it for Australia, believes 2015 World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke.
Australia have been in good form in the five-day format and having won a one-day tournament in India last year will be confident and will be looking to do an encore as they face India in the first of the three-match ODI tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday.
India captain Virat Kohli remained in second spot behind Steve Smith while Alastair Cook jumped nine places to be eighth in the latest ICC Test rankings after his unbeaten double century in the ongoing Ashes.
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.
Australia should stick with Joe Burns as David Warner's opening partner for next month's first Test against India
Former speed merchant Brett Lee reckons Australia's pace trio would hold the key during the year-end home Test series against India and is keen to figure out how much the kookaburra ball swings without saliva Down Under.
'His role as an opener will be equally crucial. He is the guy you want to play in Australia. I remember ODI series in 2008 and he was new but did quite well on Australian pitches. He will be raring to go after the injury.'
The opening match of the series begins in Brisbane on December 8, with Australia playing their first Test since losing to India in January.
Australia pick two uncapped players for first two Tests
David Warner scored 124 in his 100th match and combined with Aaron Finch (94) for a record 231-run opening stand, as Australia posted a 21-run victory over India in the fourth One-Day International in Bengaluru, on Thursday. Check out some statistical highlights from the match.
'If India don't have success in the One-dayers and the T20s, they are in deep trouble in the Test matches and they'll get smoked 4-0, in my opinion'.
"I think patience will obviously be the key. The challenge will be to keep going if you get a start."
Matthew Wade said he would be happy to remain at the top of Australia's order for the rest of the series
'They are in the process of building a new team. But from what I watched in the first Test, some of the players are really good. You can't just rule Australia out of the series. Of course India are more superior but again they have to continue playing good cricket'
A 25-strong Indian squad, led by captain Virat Kohli, landed in Sydney on Thursday for a gruelling two-month Australia tour which starts with a 14-day quarantine-cum-training period on the outskirts of the city.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surged to the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after a superb outing in the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua which the visiting side won by an innings and 92 runs.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will join Australia's squad for the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney, captain Steven Smith said on Tuesday.
Australian captain Michael Clarke,who has been under intense emotional stress after the passing away of his brother-like mate Phillip Hughes, has been relieved of addressing the customary press conference on Monday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni vs Australia in Tests: 65 dismissals -- 51 catches, 14 stumpings -- in 19 games. India's captain is the seventh wicketkeeper to complete 251 catches in 90 Tests. Statistical highlights of the opening day's play in the third India-Australia Test in Melbourne.
Most of the Test squad and staff had been transferred to hotel quarantine where they will warm up for the two-Test series against England
A series win will be an ideal confidence booster for India before the visitors hit Test match mode.
The 'Impact Player' rule will be used differently by different outfits but truth be told, DC do not have enough players with X-factor in its ranks.
Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath says India's bowling attack remains a "world-class" one despite the recent debacles against New Zealand and blamed the under-whelming performance on factors such as injury lay-offs and toss.
Rahul Dravid said India will have to find someone who can amass 500-odd runs in the series like Cheteshwar Pujara did the last time around.
India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara jumped a couple of rungs to second, while skipper Virat Kohli held on to the fifth spot in the latest ICC rankings for Test batsmen.
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