New South Wales paceman Abbott and Queensland veteran Neser are the reserve quicks behind regulars Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson.
Here we encapsulate all the sporting action from last week in this stunning photo feature.
Pacer Jhye Richardson picked up five wickets as Australia beat England by 275 runs in the day-night second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Monday to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik believes the time is ripe for Ravichandran Ashwin to make his first appearance of the series in he fourth Test at The Kia Oval, commencing Thursday.
Labuschagne said Australia were expecting a little more help from the fifth day pitch but credited India for hanging on for a remarkable draw.
Former England captain Michael Atherton believes the ICC should consider allowing more substitutions for injuries which require players to visit a hospital for treatment during a match amid the coronavirus pandemic. International cricket is set to resume after the coronavirus hiatus with England scheduled to host the West Indies team in a bio-secure environment for a proposed three-match series in July.
England captain Joe Root defended his decision to bat first in the opening Ashes Test against Australia and stood by the selections in their bowling unit despite going down to a heavy nine-wicket defeat at the Gabba on Saturday.
Pucovski rode his luck and Marnus Labuschagne showed resolve as the duo hit half-centuries to put Australia in a dominating position in a rain-curtailed opening day at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Kohli gets 'Spirit of Cricket' gong; Stokes is ICC Cricketer of the Year.
Australia still searching for their best formula in ODIs, says Finch
Here is a complete list of players, who failed to attract any bid in the IPL 2022
Sohail and Asad Shafiq (80) put on 150 for the fifth wicket on a placid track at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium as Australia's bowlers toiled in the intense heat.
During a podcast organised by inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals, Steve Smith opened up about his unusual technique to New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi. Smith said his off-stump stance helps him to leave the ball which are outside his line of sight.
South Africa continued their recent dominance of Australia in this format having won 11 of their last 12 ODI meetings dating back to 2016.
Janneman Malan, who was out to the first ball of the match on debut on Saturday, anchored the South African reply, taming his usual swashbuckling style to score 129 not out from 139 balls and lead the home side to victory with nine balls to spare.
Heinrich Klaasen smashed an unbeaten century as South Africa claimed a 74-run victory over Australia in their first one-dayer played on a slow Boland Park wicket on Saturday. After winning the toss, South Africa overcame an early wobble to post 291 for seven in their 50 overs, a total boosted by the maiden ODI ton from middle-order batsman Klaasen, who crashed 123 from 114 balls. Australia were up with the run-rate for much of their reply, but South Africa then strangled the scoring with intelligent use of the slow pitch as the visitors slumped to 217 all out from 45.1 overs.
Tendulkar reminded that along with the mindset, it is also about ability, which Sehwag had in abundance.
Siraj became the 298th player to play Test cricket for India
'There aren't too many guys... that have averaged higher than Steve in Test cricket. Clearly they are huge shoes to fill and we don't put all that pressure on Marnus'
Smith was struck on the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer during his innings on Saturday, forcing him to retire hurt, but he returned to the crease 40 minutes later and added 12 runs before being dismissed for 92.
'It'll test us out, no doubt, against a good Indian outfit .... They beat us out here last time and they're a very good side'
The cricketer-turned-commentator feels New Zealand and England don't deserve to get the second and fourth spot in the ICC Test rankings as they haven't won enough Test series in the last two years.
Mark Waugh reckons the 25-year-old will succeed at the No 4 spot against Indian spinners.
Following is a fact box on the final Test of the four-match series between Australia and India
The two groups will unite late on Thursday night and with the opening ODI slated for Friday, the players will have no scope to wriggle in a practice session as one unit.
India's formidable pace attack will not be as effective as New Zealand speedster Neil Wagner in bowling bouncers during their upcoming tour of Australia, believes wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Wagner bowling a barrage of bouncers and dismissing Australia's three leading batsmen -- Steve Smith, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne -- a combined 10 times was one of the rare positives for New Zealand in an otherwise one-sided Test series last season.
Wade will instead head to New Zealand with Australia's Twenty20 squad for a five-match series starting on Feb. 22 in Christchurch.
Debutant Pakistan off-spinner Bilal Asif ripped through the Australian middle-order with six wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 202 on the third day of the first Test, in Dubai, on Tuesday.
India retained their number one spot and captain Virat Kohli remained static at second in the ICC rankings. India have 116 rating points, six more than New Zealand with third-placed Australia accumulating 108 points.
The problem with non-selection of an Indian player in the XI is more to do with lack of matches rather than poor show since they have won both the series that they played in 2021.
'I think they need to have a good look at how they're playing.'
Cameron Green suffered a mild concussion after being hit on the head by a shot from Jasprit Bumrah
Since 2011, England have managed to eke out just a single draw in 13 Ashes Tests over three tours and their last two Tests in Sydney have resulted in humiliating defeats.
Usman Khawaja will replace Travis Head in Australia's middle order for this week's fourth Ashes Test against England in the only change to the side that wrapped up the series in Melbourne last week.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia, at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, on Friday.
Pujara was placed sixth, down one rung, with 791 points, while Rahane occupied the ninth spot after slipping a couple of positions with 759 points.
IMAGES from the 3rd ODI between India and Australia played in Bengaluru on Sunday
Images from Friday's second One-day International between India and Australia, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Rajkot.
Australian captain Aaron Finch is confident Glenn Maxwell's ODI absence won't last long.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
