England pace bowler Jake Ball has sent an injury scare through his team in their Ashes run-up after injuring his ankle.
Former England batsman Mike Gatting has backed Alastair Cook to lead his side to a fight-back in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins describes Cheteshwar Pujara as a 'brick wall', whose wicket he targeted once captain Virat Kohli returned home after the first Test during the recent series against India.
While there were no glaring surprises in the squad, Manish Pandey has once again been sidelined as the selectors continue to repose their trust in out of form KL Rahul.
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the opening Test against England?
Statistical highlights from the day's play.
David Warner failed to take field against India in the ongoing Boxing Day cricket Test after the Australian opener suffered a nasty blow on his right forearm at the MCG nets.
'We only felt that it has never happened before, I don't think it will ever happen again. It was a freak inning'
Master batsman Steve Smith is consulting experts on how to get a better night's sleep before cricket matches.
The batsman's unbeaten 110 at the WACA cauldron anchored a 174-run stand with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (75 not out) to push England to 305 for four at stumps as the tourists emerged on top after an intriguing opening day.
Marsh strained his back during training at the Gabba on Wednesday, Cricket Australia said, a day after Warner hurt his neck during a fielding drill.
'He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him'
'It's bloody tough to sustain it for long periods of time, particularly I think for the fast bowlers. It's extremely difficult what they put themselves through. It's great that those conversations are happening and we're trying to keep guys as mentally and physically fresh as they can be'
Shubman Gill opened the innings for KKR in last year's IPL but he is ready to play any role this season as per his team's needs.
'I have done the wrong thing and accept the penalty. I'm gutted to miss a Test match, but the standards are there for a reason and the fault is mine'.
Factbox on the second Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Saturday:
India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara on Thursday admitted that playing day-night Tests is an altogether different challenge for the batsman as the pace and visibility of the pink ball is very different from the traditional red ball.
Rohit is another batsmen that could give the home team plenty of headache in the limited overs leg of the series beginning on Wednesday.
Selectors name the Test squad on Thursday but will have to rely on their gut rather than hard numbers
Opener David Warner put New Zealand's bowlers to the sword with a masterful 163 and Usman Khawaja scored his maiden Test century as Australia dominated the opening day of the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, on Thursday.
He scripted a memorable comeback snapping five wickets to set up England's nine-wicket win over India in the tri-series and pacer Steven Finn said he was happy to see that his hard work finally paid off.
Steven Smith (133) became the ninth Australian to score a century on captaincy debut as Australia wriggled out from a precarious 247 for 6 to post a mammoth 505 in their first innings in the second Test against India at the Gabba on Friday. He was well-supported by Mitchell Johnson (88) and Mitchell Starc (52) who made valuable contributions down the order, as the hosts took a first innings lead of 97 runs. India ended the third day on 71 for 1 in the second innings. Statistical highlights from the day's play. Statistical highlights from the day's play.
Notwithstanding the 2-0 scoreline in favour of the home team, former Australian all-rounder Michael Bevan feels Indians have a good chance to bounce back in Melbourne in the third cricket Test, starting Friday.
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Joining a select group that was last represented more than a decade ago, two brothers will play alongside each other in the same Australia Test side after Shaun and Mitchell Marsh were named to face India on Tuesday.
Australia all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne, who is all set to make his Ashes debut, revealed that he once worked as a Hot Spot camera operator in a Test match against England in 2009, when fast bowler Peter Siddle claimed a hat-trick.
We asked you, dear readers to send in your congratulatory messages for the Indian team on their success Down Under. Here are your wishes for the team...
Mitchell Starc claimed his second hat-trick of the match to lead New South Wales to a 171-run victory over Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield on Tuesday.
With Australia wobbling at 76 for four on day two, Smith dragged his side back from the brink over eight-and-a-half hours of gut-busting graft and strode off the Gabba after tea on day three with an unbeaten 141 from 326 balls.
'I think the next process for me, if I do get a chance in the Test arena, is to try and play more back-to-back cricket now'
As lobbying and counter-lobbying intensify, right now, it looks like a T20 match, discovers Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Australia were two wickets from victory at the end of day four of the first day-night test against Pakistan on Sunday, but the tourists were buoyed by a feisty fourth innings chase and a brilliant unbeaten century from Asad Shafiq.
Australia captain Michael Clarke said he was not going to promise his country "the world" on the eve of the first Ashes test on Wednesday.
Australia captain Michael Clarke will have to wait another week before he can join the ICC World Cup party after steady rain washed out the hosts' Pool A match against Bangladesh at the Gabba on Saturday.
Josh Hazlewood had to wait a while for his Test debut but no one can accuse him of wasting his chance when it came after he became the 33rd Australian to take a five-wicket haul on debut in the second Test against India on Thursday.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann has no plans to meet Andy Flower to defuse any lingering tension from the spiteful first Ashes Test in Brisbane and says the England team director needs to worry about his own players rather than his opponents.
The tour will include a 14-day quarantine-cum-training period in Sydney starting November 12 for the Indians who will fly in after the IPL final on November 10.
England cricketers -- both men and women -- will undergo anti-racism training courses this year after a survey revealed that more than one-third of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) players have faced the prejudice in the game.
Fresh from his impressive debut at the Gabba in the second cricket match against India, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has advised young Joe Burns, who is set to play his first Test at the MCG on Boxing Day, to keep things simple.
Gary Wilson and Kevin O'Brien struck brisk half-centuries as Ireland held their nerve to clinch a thrilling two-wicket victory in their World Cup Pool B match against United Arab Emirates in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Josh Hazlewood will be Australia's third pace bowler in this week's first Test against New Zealand after Peter Siddle was named 12th man on Wednesday.
