Australia's third largest metropolis, Brisbane, turned into a city under siege as swelling muddy waters submerged major parts of the town, swallowed roads and the entire river front in the worst ever flooding which hit 30,000 properties.
Australia's mouthwatering clash with India sees the two behemoths of the modern game go head-to-head in five tests over six weeks with the tourists eyeing a third straight series triumph Down Under.
The blockbuster five-match Test series between India and Australia will get underway at Perth's Optus Stadium on November 22, the venue replacing Adelaide Oval as the national cricket board's preferred choice for the season opener.
The series is likely to start in late November this year.
'I think the way he goes about his aggressive nature and his work ethic would make him very enjoyable to play with.'
Brad Hodge will take his place in the team with Adam Gilchrist assuming the captaincy.
Multiple grand slam champion Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Brisbane International on Tuesday after suffering an arm injury in practise less than two weeks before the Australian Open.
Rohit Sharma may just avoid being swayed by the proverbial outside noise and stick to the number six slot for at least the third Test against Australia, starting this weekend.
Having pulled out of the Brisbane International tournament through injury for the last two years, Maria Sharapova might consider it a victory in itself if she actually gets out on court at the Pat Rafter arena on Monday.
Her doubles partner, Bethanie-Mattek Sands now wears the 'Miss World No.1 crown'
By avoiding the follow-on and standing firm against Australia's aggression, India ensured that they stayed alive in the series.
A hamstring tear has forced the England captain out of Friday's one-day international against Australia.
Usman Khawaja will return to training on Tuesday after being cleared to play the second Test
Roger Federer, who will be chasing an 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open later this month, breezed through to the Brisbane International men's semi-finals with a 6-1, 6-1 thumping of Australian Marinko Matosevic.
K L Rahul's indifferent form could throw Cheteshwar Pujara a lifeline for the tour of Australia, where he enjoys a great record.
Nadal expresses doubt over Australian Open participation
Robin Soderling's smooth buildup to this month's Australian Open continued with a business-like 6-3, 6-2 victory over local qualifier Matt Ebden in their Brisbane International quarter-final on Friday.
Robin Soderling's smooth build-up to this month's Australian Open continued with a business-like 6-3, 6-2 victory over local qualifier Matt Ebden in their Brisbane International quarter-final on Friday.
Australia's Lleyton Hewitt delighted his home fans when he battled to a typically gutsy 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Swiss top seed Roger Federer in the Brisbane International final on Sunday.
Australian wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade on Friday said he will retire from first-class cricket after the upcoming Sheffield Shield final, but will remain available for selection in white-ball formats.
The Spaniard, who has slipped to world number 672, said he was feeling much better than a year ago but added that he cannot have long-term goals just yet.
Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy had to be content with a runner-up finish at the ATP Brisbane International event after the top seeded duo lost the summit clash to Marc Gicquel and Jeremy Chardy in straight sets.
Shardul took three wickets with the ball in Australia's first innings and then top-scored for India with a 67 as he got involved with Washington Sundar (62) in a fine rear-guard fightback to keep India in contention.
'We were not thinking about a series win because we were just bowled out for 36.' 'The mood in the dressing room was a bit down. Ravi Bhai organised a team dinner. He arranged for karaoke, he started singing. He sang old Hindi songs. Everybody joined in.'
'...there'll be nerves and a bit of pressure, but that's all part of it, and I'm just excited to see what it all brings.'
Former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka began her warm-up to the first Grand Slam of the year in convincing fashion with a 6-2,6-0 win over Russian Elena Vesnina in their first round match at the Brisbane International on Monday.
Since making his debut in 2017, the highly rated Kuldeep Yadav has featured in just 13 Tests in seven years.
'He has not played in Australia, or at least he has not played in Perth in a Test match on a wicket that bounces.'
Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin were forced to draw on their vast experience to avoid being eliminated from the Brisbane International on Thursday. The two Belgians, both back on the professional circuit after retiring from the sport, scraped through their quarter-finals to remain on course for a possible showdown in Saturday's final.
US Open champion Kim Clijsters began her 2010 season with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 victory over Italian Tathiana Garbin in the first round of the Brisbane International on Sunday.
Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands reached the first final of the new season when their opponents -- Daniela Hantuchova and Katarina Srebotnik -- conceded the semi-final match at the WTA Brisbane International.
It is understood that the Test squad will be leaving from Mumbai few days after the series and just like it happened during the last tour of South Africa, the BCCI could have a four-day game between India and India A, which people in the know of things feel will provide Rohit Sharma's men with quality match simulation.
Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Brisbane International after going down at the hands of top-seed Milos Raonic of Canada in their quarter-final clash here on Friday. World number three Raonic recorded only his second victory over Nadal in eight meetings with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win in the last-eight contest that lasted two hours and 21 minutes.
Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy advanced to the semi-finals of the doubles event of the ATP Brisbane International after getting a walk over from the local pair of Ashley Fisher and Stephen Huss on Thursday.
World No 1 Serena Williams showed plenty of rust in her first competitive outing of the year ahead of the Australian Open, but battled through to defeat Andrea Petkovic in straight sets at the Brisbane International on Tuesday.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic will launch his Australian Open defence at next year's Brisbane International, a new event that has been added to the tennis calendar.
Adelaide Strikers claimed their second straight Women's Big Bash League title on Saturday
Slater is accused of choking a woman while shaking her at his house in December 2023.
2024 saw some of the most competitive and captivating cricket being played on the field.
India will be under tremendous pressure when they face an equally circumspect Australia in a battle of two out-of-form batting units in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth
