Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has come down hard on the pitches for the first three Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India's second and final warm-up game against New Zealand was called off without a ball being bowled because of heavy rain at The Gabba in Brisbane, on Wednesday.
Shami, who had reached Brisbane after recovering from COVID-19 was named as replacement for an injured Jasprit Bumrah in the squad of 15. He was out of the team for close to three months.
Australia completed victory at the Gabba in two days, batting marginally better than the Proteas on a perilous, grassy pitch that South Africa captain Dean Elgar complained was unfair to the batters. T
Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have enough options to choose from with selectors adding three players to the squad -- Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the fourth Test against England?
This was the third time India were involved in a two-day Test.
Warner in our plans for India tour: Australia coach
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon finally clinched his long-awaited 400th Test wicket on Saturday when he dismissed Dawid Malan in his second over on the morning of Day 4 of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.
The 36-year-old remains nominally in Australia's plans for the tour of India in February but is under pressure to perform in the three-match series starting at the Gabba on Saturday after struggling against a modest West Indies attack.
'How many more chances to Rishabh Pant?' is what folks on social media were asking after yet another white ball failure for the left-hander.
'Just because of the nature of how good those bowling attacks were they probably embellished it a bit. So, you wouldn't want to play on it every day, but I think for occasional Test matches it's not the worst thing.'
'It required a lot of hard work, commitment and dedication to be back, but the journey to Australia has been thoroughly rewarding.'
When the final Test at the Narendra Modi stadium ended in a draw on Monday evening, there was bon homie, with gifts like cricket bats and jerseys being passed around.
Ravi Shastri believes Mumbai's cricketers have a headstart compared to players from other domestic teams in India.
'Credit to the way England played, they put us under pressure. They played beautifully, hats-off to England, they were clinical.'
Australia completed a six-wicket victory within two days in the first Test against South Africa on Sunday as the Proteas crumbled on a green Gabba wicket that played straight into the home bowlers' hands.
The report into the investigation has not been made publicly available, with CA citing confidentiality, and the information vacuum has been filled by speculation and innuendo as the years rolled on.
A Web series Bandon Mein Tha Dum will chronicle the Indian cricket team's historic Test series win in Australia last year.
West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer has been replaced by Shamarh Brooks in their squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia after he missed his rescheduled flight.
A litany of technical issues have plagued the opening match of cricket's most enduring rivalry.
Has any cricketing legend asked the all-powerful BCCI Secretary Jay A Shah how selections are taking place without a chief selector in place for the last four months? Who takes all the important decisions at selection meetings?, asks Harish Kotian.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is under pressure to produce a pitch that delivers a fairer contest between bat and ball in the Boxing Day Test
Travis Head struck a belligerent half-century to give Australia the upper hand on day one of the series-opening Test against South Africa after the home side's bowlers dominated on a green Gabba wicket on Saturday.
Following their 6-run defeat, Finch said that the hosts need to learn to be clinical towards the back-end.
Jhye Richardson will replace injured paceman Josh Hazlewood but opener David Warner has been cleared to play against England in the second day-night Ashes Test.
Rohit Sharma's 14-ball 15 would do little to ease concerns about the India captain's form heading into the tournament, while Virat Kohli (19) did not last long either.
And it was only understandable that Australia's assistant coach Andrew McDonald felt for the spectators.
The Australian team management chose Peter Handscomb ahead of Travis Head
Captain Joe Root and all-rounder Ben Stokes were among the first arrivals to touch down in Brisbane on Saturday ahead of England's Ashes series against Australia.
IMAGES of the T20 World Cup warm up match played between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane on Monday
Oz media hails India's historic Test series win.
Australia have not lost a Test match at the Gabba since 1988.
England paceman James Anderson will be rested for the first Ashes Test against Australia but he is fit to play, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler said.
India's young spinner Washington Sundar makes most of his free time as he teaches his pet Gabba some tricks.
Australia captain Pat Cummins lavished praise on Mitchell Starc as the rangy left-arm paceman joined the 300 wickets club in style on Sunday during the first Test win over South Africa.
England will be wary of any complacency against Afghanistan, especially as the tournament has already seen major upsets with former champions Sri Lanka and twice winners West Indies suffering shock defeats.
Under Ravi Shastri's tutelage, India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia when they upset the hosts 2-1 in 2018-19 before winning their second successive series two years later.
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