Travis Head returned from COVID-19 to smash a belligerent 101 and Cameron Green made 74 to revive Australia after a top-order collapse on the opening day of the day-night final Ashes Test against England on Friday.
'But there are no real shock defeats in this competition. They're a strong squad'
England called up Warwickshire fast bowler Chris Woakes on Monday for the third One-day International against Australia in Birmingham.
Sri Lanka pace bowler Lasith Malinga ripped through the England batting line-up with four wickets as the former champions handed the favourites a 20-run defeat in a low-scoring World Cup match.
Root and all-rounder Moeen Ali (28) stitched together a patient 91-run partnership to steady the ship.
Joe Root's classy unbeaten century led England to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over West Indies in a one-sided World Cup match in Southampton.
It is an perfect stage for India's mercurial skipper Virat Kohli, who loves to bring his A game to the fore when the chips are down.
A look at the newly-laid dark coloured Chepauk track is an indication that unlike the strip used during the first Test, this one will offer turn earlier than expected.
England go into the 10-team tournament as the top side in the team rankings with 125 points and India in second position four points behind.
England have rested fast bowler James Anderson and batsman Jonathan Trott from the next month's One-day series against India and replaced them with Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler.
Ben Stokes' first big decision as captain will be to name his team along with coach Chris Silverwood and there are tricky choices to be made with his bowling attack.
A pool of 346 cricketers will go under the hammer at the IPL Player Auction in Jaipur on December 18.
England director of cricket Andrew Strauss believes the vital experience gained from sending the country's players to the Indian Premier League (IPL) far outweighs the risk of them picking up injuries during the Twenty20 tournament.
Urges others to step up in the all-rounder's absence
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli admitted to having misread the M Chinnaswamy track that turned out to be a batsman's paradise rather than being a slow turner during their Indian Premier League match against Rajasthan Royals, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Jonny Bairstow has been rested and injured pacer Jofra Archer was left out while spinner Moeen Ali was unavailable for Test selection.
Rajneesh Gupta lists all the important numbers from Day 5 of the 4th Test at the Oval.
All-rounder Chris Woakes said he believes England can chase down a record target of 368 on the final day in the fourth Test on Monday as the pitch remains good for batting.
India was able to finish Day 1 of third Test on 307 for six because their batsmen capitalised well on the conditions at Trent Bridge and did not offer any chances in the middle session, said England pacer Chris Woakes.
Virat Kohli was frustrated to be dismissed three runs short of his century but another fine captain's knock inspired India on their best batting day of the series in the third Test against England at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
Kohli (871 points) and his deputy Rohit Sharma (855 points, ranked two) are out of action for some time due to COVID-19 forced break
Australia's Steve Smith was out for 92 after resuming his innings having been forced to retire hurt when he was struck by a short ball from England fast bowler Jofra Archer on the fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Saturday.
Images from Day 3 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, on Friday.
Durham pacer Graham Onions will replace injured seamer Chris Woakes in the England squad for the last two ODIs and the one-off Twenty20 against India, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has stated.
Images from Day 4 of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia in Edgbaston, on Sunday.
Australia closed in on a victory that will see them retain the Ashes after ending an incredible second day of the third Test with a lead of 283 runs, having bowled out England for an embarrassing 67 in their first innings.
England moved relentlessly towards a series-levelling victory over Pakistan on a rain-disrupted third day of the second test in Manchester on Sunday. The hosts bowled out the Pakistanis for 198 before declining to enforce the follow-on, ending the day on 98 for one to lead by a commanding 489 runs with two days remaining at Old Trafford.
Pakistan finished the third day of the first Test in a strong position after Yasir Shah took six wickets as England were dismissed for 272 then the visitors reached 214 for eight in their second innings for a lead of 281.
Influenza has ravaged England with several players and staff taken ill since arriving on Dec. 14.
England's Liam Plunkett smashed the last ball of the match for six to earn his team a dramatic tie with Sri Lanka in the first one-day international in Nottingham on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old is expected to open the batting with Surrey team mate Rory Burns for the one-off match against Ireland starting at Lord's next Wednesday.
England have not picked uncapped all-rounder Jofra Archer in a preliminary 15-man World Cup squad but have named him in squads for the warm-up games against Pakistan and Ireland.
England skipper Joe Root has backed James Anderson to hit peak form again, saying on Wednesday that the pace bowler's spot in the team is not in question ahead of the second Test against Pakistan starting on Thursday.
Limited overs stalwarts Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed scintillating centuries to help India secure a series-clinching 15-run victory in the second one-day international against England.
England will rest Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood for the three-match one-day international series against South Africa starting in Cape Town on February 4. Worcestershire seamer Pat Brown, Somerset batsman Tom Banton and the Lancashire pair of Matthew Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood received their maiden call-ups.
Ireland's dream of pulling off one of the biggest shocks in the history of Test cricket by beating England at Lord's were shattered as they collapsed to 38 all out to lose by 143 runs.
Jonny Bairstow was selected to play as a specialist batsman in England's fourth Test against India even though he fractured a finger while keeping wicket in the third-Test loss.
Following is the list of players who have been released by the different franchises ahead of the auction for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.
England all-rounder Chris Woakes, who played a crucial role in his team's warm-up match victory over Hyderabad XI, conceded that his team did not bat well in the game but was s confident that the line-up would fire when the ODI series against India gets underway from October 14 in Hyderabad.
IMAGES from the T20 World Cup Super 12 match played between England and West Indies in Dubai on Saturday.
