Cheteshwar Pujara rose to the occasion with a maiden century in Australia, pulling India out of a deep hole to a respectable 250 for nine on day one of the first Test in Adelaide on Thursday.
Australia ripped through South Africa's top order in the first hour, dismissed the tourists for 242 by tea and reached 105 without loss at close on the back of some Dave Warner fireworks on the opening day of the first Test on Thursday.
The duo has been left out of Australia ODI squad for UAE despite bans ending before tour end
Australia's number one opener David Warner on Saturday said he is 'highly doubtful' about attaining full fitness ahead of the third Test against India though he will do everything possible to respond to a desperate selection panel and team management's call.
Australia beat England by an innings and 123 runs after lunch on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Monday to wrap up a 4-0 series triumph. The hosts, who scored 649 declared in their reply to England's first innings 346, dismissed the tourists for 180 at the Sydney Cricket Ground to seal a comprehensive victory.
The epithets of colossus and regal were reserved for Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath but Dilip Vengsarkar has no regrets that he was not as feted as his two illustrious colleagues, saying he cherished an 'extremely fulfilling' career. Vengsarkar, who turned 64 on Monday, was India's batting mainstay during the 1980s when he outscored the iconic Gavaskar as his upright stance and ability to play swing and spin with aplomb was a delight for Test afficianados.
Spinner Nathan Lyon is likely to retain his place in the Australia side for the third Ashes Test despite the attractions of going with a four-pronged pace attack in Perth this week, coach Darren Lehmann said on Wednesday.
'They have tried too hard to be that stereotypical Australian team that are aggressive and go hard at people.'
Fast bowler Mark Wood, who took the final wicket in the fourth Test to seal England's Ashes triumph, expects to be dropped for the fifth and final match against Australia at The Oval on Thursday.
Captain Joe Root's defiance gave England hope of saving the Ashes series as his unbeaten 75 helped the hosts to 156-3 in their second innings on day three of the third Test at Headingley.
England spinner Graeme Swann, who has dismissed some of Australia's best players, has joked he could get knighted and become PM in five years time if England win 5-0 and he takes 50 wickets in the Ashes.
Australia finally have the chance to bring some cheers to their fans after an egregious 2018 when Tim Paine's men take on Sri Lanka at the Manuka Oval from Friday with a series victory beckoning the beleaguered hosts.
Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has been under fire for his lacklustre form during the home summer.
Ravindra Jadeja has been voted as the best player of India's home season in a poll conducted by ESPNCricinfo.
Gavaskar said Pant will give India more flexibility in the first Test, the only day-night game, to be played in Adelaide.
Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne missed individual centuries but forged Australia's highest partnership of the summer to earn the hosts a handy first innings lead against Sri Lanka on day two of the series opening day-night Test on Friday.
Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat against an Indian side missing their inspirational skipper Virat Kohli through injury in the fourth and final Test in Dharamsala on Saturday.
Australia have called batsman Shaun Marsh into their squad for the opening Test of the four-match series against India, which was pushed back to next week after the death of Phillip Hughes.
Penpix of players in Australia's Ashes squad.
Kumble was seen bowling 'left-arm spin' on the nets, most likely to tackle the left-arm Australian spinner in the remaining Tests.
The hard-hitting 27-year-old becomes the fifth Australia player to leave the Indian Twenty20 tournament early following the departures of captain Steve Smith, John Hastings and Mitchell and Shaun Marsh
India captured Australia's last two wickets after a rain-delayed start to day five of the third Test on Sunday to complete an emphatic 137-run win and take a 2-1 series lead.
Pandya's absence means that India will have to rejig their bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah has already been rested for this series, as well as the tour of New Zealand, and this allows the think-tank to conduct one final experimentation with their bowling attack.
Usman Khawaja is doubtful for the day-night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide later this month after the Australian top order batsman re-injured his left hamstring while fielding at the WACA on Saturday.
Photos from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday
India would have been better served with a frontline spinner in their side, pace spearhead Mohammed Shami said.
India put together their second highest team total on Australian soil, piling up 622/7 declared on the second day of the match. Their highest team total, 705/7 declared, was also incidentally scored at this venue, in 2004.
Hardik Pandya hasn't featured in Tests since 2018 and has only recently recovered from a career-threatening back injury.
Survives sharp bowling to notch up another half-ton
David Warner has been cleared to play in the second Test against South Africa after accepting an ICC charge of bringing the game into disrepute.
'All I would say to him is he's just got to have that belief in himself and get involved in the game and I guess have that presence'
CCTV footage from the players' tunnel at Kingsmead showed Australia vice-captain David Warner and South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock involved in a fiery exchange as players climbed the stairwell to their dressing rooms during the tea break.
India took giant strides towards winning their first ever series on Australian soil in seven decades by retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a comprehensive 137-run win in the third Test in Melbourne on Sunday.
'I think there'll be a huge fallout from this (defeat). There's not too many times that you lose to the second or third (choice) side.'
Cheteshwar Pujara has set an example for others with his first-innings century
Australia cruised to an 80-run victory over Pakistan in the third One-dayer in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Factbox on the four-Test series between Australia and India, which begins on Thursday
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