The talented but unpredictable side are not favourites.
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell has admitted to being upset by the frequent criticism directed at him but most of all by the implication that he is not a team man dedicated to helping Australia win the World Cup.
Defending champions India cantered into the semi-finals of the cricket World Cup after a thumping -- victory over Bangladesh at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
David Warner has been warned by his cricket Board boss to "stop looking for trouble" after he engaged in verbal spat with Indian opener Rohit Sharma during the tri-series match between their sides in Melbourne on Sunday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni vs Australia in Tests: 65 dismissals -- 51 catches, 14 stumpings -- in 19 games. India's captain is the seventh wicketkeeper to complete 251 catches in 90 Tests. Statistical highlights of the opening day's play in the third India-Australia Test in Melbourne.
Virat Kohli's tally is the highest by a visiting No. 4 player in a Test series in Australia, surpassing the 480 in seven innings by Sachin Tendulkar in 2007-08.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night left for Australia on the second leg of his three-nation tour during which he will attend the annual summit of the Group of 20 of the world's developed and emerging economies.
Factbox on the fifth Ashes Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Thursday:
Real Madrid captain and centre back Sergio Ramos is "100 percent committed" to the club, new coach Rafa Benitez said on Thursday, amid continued speculation the Spain defender could be on his way to Manchester United.
James Pattinson has the full support of the Australian team in his battle against over-stepping and they expect him to come out and "blow the game apart" in New Zealand's second innings, according to off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The Ashes series may be reduced to dead rubbers, but Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad proved their England careers remain very much alive on Wednesday as they helped Joe Root's team dominate Australia on day two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
All that's transpired on and off the cricket pitch on Saturday.
Mitchell Marsh's spot in a rebuilding Australia side is assured for at least the Boxing Day Test against West Indies but the all-rounder is feeling some heat to score runs to shore up his place.
Giving a peek into the Australian cricketers' celebration after the World Cup triumph, Brad Haddin, who's just announced retirement from One-Day International cricket, said all-rounder James Faulkner got his "clothes off" in the after party.
Clarke was calmness personified as the pre-World Cup final media interaction turned out into a retirement conference.
'Someone's got to do it and I might put my hand up. It's part of the game and what happened the other day with Shane (Watson) and Wahab (Riaz) was exceptional'
Australia coach Justin Langer wants off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who has dismissed Virat Kohli seven times in Tests, to continue his good record against the India captain.
Sri Lanka beat Australia off last ball to win first T20
The 2015 ICC World Cup has thrown up a lot of exciting moments since it began last week on February 14. Rediff.com gives you a quick flashback of all the action-packed, intense moments that had us watch in awe.
'It's a home game for India. There's going up to (almost) 100,000 people here'
The incident has been met with astonishment in Australia, with the protagonists -- Smith, his vice captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft -- lambasted in the media under headlines almost universally trumpeting the word "Shame".
The incident, which Australian captain Steve Smith said involved senior players hatching a plan to tamper with the ball during a game against rival South Africa, also threatens to upset current negotiations over broadcast rights.
Even as South Africa plot India's downfall with the help of Gary Kirsten and Mike Hussey, cricketing greats Sunil Gavaskar and Ian Chappell felt their presence would not make much of a difference to the Proteas' chances in their World Cup game against the holders.
Chris Woakes took 5 for 19 as England claimed a comfortable nine-wicket victory in their first official World Cup warm-up match after dismissing a hapless West Indies for 122 in 29.3 overs on Monday.
But says pressure is on under-performing George Bailey
Nasir Hossain turned in a fine all-round show as Bangladesh 'A' scored a 65-run victory over India 'A' in the second One-dayer and levelled the three-match series, in Bengaluru, on Friday. The 23-year-old all-rounder first hit an unbeaten hundred and then destroyed the home side with a five-wicked haul as Mominul Haque's side avenged the 96-run defeat in the first game, at the M Chinnaswamy stadium.
Nearly three years have passed since George Bailey was shut out of Test cricket after one middling series but the door has creaked ajar as Australia searches for answers to its subcontinental malaise before a daunting tour to India.
All-rounder Hilton Cartwright will make his debut for Australia in the dead rubber third Test against Pakistan in Sydney on Tuesday, with left-armer Steve O'Keefe returning to the side as a second spinner alongside Nathan Lyon.
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