England have not won a first Ashes Test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978.
Pat Cummins is the eighth Australian to join the 300 club, no mean feat for any bowler but particularly one who he had to wait more than five years for his second Test appearance after a spate of injuries.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
The stand-in Australia captain was asked about Panesar's recent comments that England should shame Smith over his involvement in "Sandpapergate" to get a psychological edge in the series, which starts in Perth on Friday.
The couple also has a four year old son, named Albie.
'It is the biggest stage and it is the brightest lights. It is a series that could define teams, the people and players within it.'
'The tailenders should have looked to bat with Jamie Smith. Really poor from the batters towards the end. The plan should have been to give him the strike and let him do the heavy lifting.'
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Cummins is also unlikely to feature in the first Ashes Test, starting November 21 in Perth, and in that scenario former skipper Smith will captain Australia.
While Cummins was fined Rs 12 lakh, as it was his team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct, Patidar was docked Rs 24 lakh as a member of the playing eleven of the second-time offender, RCB.
Australian cricket was rocked on Thursday by the death of a teenage player hit by a ball during training at his Melbourne club.
Fast bowler Josh Tongue is confident England are prepared for the Ashes series in Australia and have a good chance of ending their long drought Down Under thanks to their fearsome bowling attack.
Taking his 17th Test five-wicket haul, he finished with 7 for 58 off 12.5 overs.
Last year's runner-up Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) suffered a heartbreaking exit from the IPL 2025 play-off race after rain washed out their must-win game against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Hyderabad on Monday.
Mohammed Shami said SRH captain Pat Cummins is adept at managing both seasoned international stars and young players.
Australia will take on England in the opening fixtures of the Ashes on November 21 in Perth. Steve Smith will lead the side as Pat Cummins is not in the team due to injury.
Reeling from injuries to captain Pat Cummins and paceman Josh Hazlewood, Australia have received a boost ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth starting Friday, with Cameron Green telling reporters he is ready to bowl free of any restrictions.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri outlined the quality of Steve Smith that has always amazed him, and expects the captaincy for the first Ashes Test in Perth to bring the best out of him.
The 32-year-old Cummins would be watching the action unfold from the sidelines due to a back injury.
Pat Cummins has underlined the importance of having an experienced bowling unit, especially in a high-pressure tournament like the IPL.
England have not won the Ashes in Australia after losing the first Test since the 1950s but McCullum and Stokes will remain convinced they can turn the series around, just as they did against South Africa in 2022 when they won 2-1 after losing the opener at Lord's.
Ravichandran Ashwin hails Travis Head after his 69-ball century, the second-fastest in Ashes history, helped Australia easily chase down 205 runs on Day 2 of first Ashes Test.
Konstas, 20, misses out after a poor tour with the bat in the West Indies, while Weatherald has been included after topping the Sheffield Shield runs list
Australia have suffered another blow ahead of the Ashes opener against England after fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to a hamstring injury on Saturday, further weakening their bowling attack after the loss of captain Pat Cummins.
Only three England captains have secured the urn in Australia in the last 50 years, with Andrew Strauss the last in 2010/11.
England did not have their full squad in Perth until last Sunday and will play one internal match before the first Ashes Test on November 21.
Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes set the scene for a dramatic Ashes series.
Nitish Kumar Reddy made a promise to himself post the Australia tour that he would improve his bowling.
Expect nothing less than hostility, fire and close contests as Ben Stokes' England come armed with their Bazball philosophy to try and get the better of a depleted Australia.
The contest between England's dialled-down "Bazball" approach and Australia's more methodical batting could determine who prevails in the Ashes series beginning in Perth on Friday.
Cummins remains a doubtful for the Ashes opener at Perth starting on November 21 but Marsh is among the players who would be in fray for selection for the opening Test of the five-match series.
The aura of home advantage -- long regarded as a hallmark of India's Test side -- seemed secure. But in barely over a year, that fortress has not just cracked, it has collapsed, raising uncomfortable questions about strategy, selection, and temperament.
Paceman Josh Hazlewood has brushed off worries about Australia's ageing attack for the Ashes, saying he personally feels as good as he has in a long time and that the unit's experience of bowling together is a major advantage for the team.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad on Tuesday spiced up the leadup to the Ashes series, starting in Perth on November 21, claiming that the battle is between "the worst Australian team since 2010" and the "best England team since 2010".
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.
I certainly get drained mentally quicker than I've probably used to: Smith
Australia's selectors chairman George Bailey defended sticking with the Test side's veteran core for the Ashes on Wednesday following criticism from former captain Steve Waugh about the team's ageing profile.
England's Ashes hopes rest largely on the all-round performance of talismanic captain Ben Stokes, who took 17 wickets against India in the recent home series.
Skipper Pat Cummins acknowledged that the pitch wasn't as flat as their previous game but credited LSG's bowlers for executing their plans effectively.
Kasprowicz recalls being thanked "for saving Test cricket" for his Ashes 2005 Birmingham dismissal
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances