Australia named five uncapped players in a raw tour squad to play Pakistan in a Test series in the United Arab Emirates, while recalling pace veteran Peter Siddle for the first time in two years and dropping middle order batsman Peter Handscomb.
Australia have resisted the temptation to go with four seamers for this week's first Test against Sri Lanka on what is expected to be a lively wicket at the Bellerive Oval.
Cricket Australia furloughed about 80 per cent of its staff and said it had suffered a A$20 million (10.6 million pounds) fall in revenue due to COVID-19, despite the pandemic hitting at the end of the season.
'I like it when opposition guys try to attack me and try to whack me out of the attack.'
'Their whole batting line-up is world class. So any opportunity to bowl at those guys is a test for myself and a challenge I can't wait to get.'
Jofra Archer took six wickets as England's bowlers gave their side a handy lead on the second day of the final Ashes Test, reducing Australia to 225 all out in reply to their own first innings score of 294.
Impressive paceman Peter Siddle may be rested for the fourth and final Test against India at the Adelaide as per Cricket Australia's rotation policy, a media report speculated on Tuesday.
New South Wales paceman Abbott and Queensland veteran Neser are the reserve quicks behind regulars Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson.
Jhye Richardson scalped five wickets in the second innings as Australia defeated England by 275 runs in the second Ashes Test. With this win, Australia has gained a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The Australian government on Wednesday granted travel exemptions for Aaron Finch and his men, Cricket Australia (CA) said while announcing a 21-member squad for the team's first international tour since the coronavirus outbreak began.
The second Ashes Test between England and Australia is scheduled from August 14 to August 18 at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Australia pace legend Glenn McGrath termed himself a traditionalist and said he is dead against the idea of shortening the five-day game to a four-day affair as proposed by the ICC. The International Cricket Council is considering introduction of four-day Tests as part of the World Test Championships from 2023, an idea which is supported by Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts.
Top order batsman Usman Khawaja has been omitted from Australia's annual list of 20 elite, contracted players in 2020 after falling out of favour with selectors midway through last year's Ashes. The 33-year-old lefthander has not played for the Test side since being dropped after the third match against England in Leeds last August.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul fell agonisingly short of a century before Australian spinner Nathan Lyon destroyed the West Indian lower order to hand the momentum back to the visitors on the third day of the second Test on Tuesday.
Australian off spinner Nathan Lyon, who recently completed a year in international cricket, has said thrashing India 4-0 at home has been the highlight of his career so far.
Australia captain Michael Clarke described his team's batting as "disgraceful and unacceptable" after they were bowled out for 47 in the first Test against South Africa on Thursday.
Nasser Hussain reckons James Anderson will pip Stuart Broad for a place in the 2nd Test starting on Thursday in Adelaide.
India came within sniffing distance of a defining victory before a stoic resistance by Australia's tail delayed the inevitable in the third Test in Melbourne on Saturday.
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on Monday.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc produced high-quality reverse-swing to claim five wickets against South Africa as the tourists seized control of the first Test with a first innings lead of 189 at the close on the second day.
Captain Virat Kohli became the second fastest to 25 Test centuries before Usman Khawaja helped Australia extend their lead to 175 runs to give the hosts a slight upperhand at stumps on Day 3 in Perth on Sunday.
On the back of some great all-round performance, Australia thumped New Zealand by 247 runs to win the Boxing Day Test and take a 2-0 series lead. Images from Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test played at the MCG on Sunday.
Australian pacer Ryan Harris has pleaded with the team management to retain him for the fourth and final cricket Test against India amid speculation that one fast bowler will be dropped to make space for off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The only struggling Australian bowler against a clueless Indian batsmen, off-spinner Nathan Lyon is taking tips from spin legend Shane Warne to plot the downfall of Virender Sehwag and his men in the fourth and final Test in Adelaide starting on January 24.
We saw how the pitch is playing and told ourselves we are going to dig deep, but unfortunately, myself, Travis and Shaun couldn't bat long as long as we should have'
Australia coach Darren Lehmann, on Sunday, said it would be a real challenge for his team comprising five left-handers to negotiate the left-arm spin of Ravindra Jadeja on the final day in Ranchi, on Monday.
'I think they're feeling the pressure a little bit to be honest'
The Queensland all-rounder offers another slow bowling option with his leg-spin at the Sydney Cricket Ground, traditionally Australia's most spin-friendly wicket.
Spinner Nathan Lyon bagged three wickets as West Indies slumped to 165 for eight to leave Australia with a lead of 163 at the close of the second day of the third Test on Tuesday.
Warne believes the Australian pace battery deserves more credit for the win in the series-opener than the criticism faced by the Indian batsmen.
Australia narrowly avoided scoring the lowest ever Test total as they capitulated to 47 all out against South Africa following an extraordinary second day of the first Test on Thursday.
As India go in to the four-match Test series against Australia that commences in Adelaide on Tuesday, here is a factbox.
Off spinner Nathan Lyon dazzled on his international debut by capturing five wickets as Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for a paltry 105 runs in their first innings of the opening Test on Thursday.
India captain Virat Kohli says the world's top batsmen will have reason to fear Jasprit Bumrah after the talented young paceman put Australia to the sword in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia took India's last four wickets on Saturday morning to crush the tourists by 298 runs in the fourth Test and record a 4-0 series sweep.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon made his way back into the Australian squad at the expense of pacer Mitchell Starc for the fourth and final cricket Test against India starting in Adelaide on Tuesday.
Eager to make an impression on home turf and cement his place as Australia's front-line spinner, offie Nathan Lyon has said he would look to get the prized scalp of the iconic Sachin Tendulkar in the fourth and final cricket Test starting in Adelaide on Tuesday.
Spinner Nathan Lyon is almost certain to start at the Adelaide Oval when the Test gets underway next Tuesday.
Cricket Australia said on Tuesday that Test skipper Tim Paine will also captain the one-day international team during next month's tour of England
Australia included three uncapped bowlers in their 15-man squad named on Tuesday for three Tests against Sri Lanka in an overhaul of the unit which was hammered by England in the Ashes debacle.
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