Page 23 - Australia Cricket Team

IND vs AUS - Cummins' message for Konstas: Have fun and don't overthink

Australia skipper Pat Cummins understands what a teenager goes through on a high-profile Test debut and knows what he needs to tell a young Sam Konstas: "Have fun and don't overthink". Konstas, 18, is all set to make his debut against India in the Boxing Day Test, starting Thursday. Konstas has created a lot of buzz in Australian domestic cricket and his Test debut at the expense of Nathan McSweeney has become quite an event. When the skipper was asked about his feelings during his Test debut at 19, Cummins spoke about an element of naivety that can stop a kid from overthinking about how big a deal it is. "I spent a bit of the time wondering why or how I was there, how it happened so quick. I just remember being really excited and I think it's similar to Sammy (Konstas) this week. "There's a level of naivety that you just want to go out and play like you do when you're a kid in the backyard," Cummins said during the pre-match press interaction. "You just want to take the game on,

IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri backs India to win the Boxing Day Test at MCG

Former coach Ravi Shastri has backed India to win the Boxing Day Test, saying the visitors have exploited Australia's "brittle" top order to have their "nose ahead" in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Shastri added that Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is "almost single-handedly" responsible for the visitors keeping the series levelled at 1-1. "I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, they would take this. "Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best case scenario. I would say India have their nose ahead," Shastri told news.com.au. Australia's top order comprising Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne have been unable to score against Bumrah. it has have forced them to hand a debut to teenage sensation Sam Konstas while dropping rookie opener Nathan McSweeney. "It's been pretty brittle. When you look at this Australian line-up, it's been a long time since I'

Of Australian team and its warm tradition of family get-together at MCG

Families do keep elite sportsmen grounded in every sense of the world. Twenty four hours prior to the start of a high-octane Boxing Day Test, the gargantuan MCG resembled an annual function of a nursery school, with families of Australian cricketers joining them for a customary stroll of the G and savour the traditional Turkey roast. There was Pat Cummins' wife Becky and Mitch Marsh's better half Greta, and they were seen enjoying some light moments along with their children. Steve Smith had his father Peter for company while Andrew McDonald's teenager son Ollie was seen taking throwdowns at an adjacent net alongside Travis Head. Sam Konstas' family has flown in from Sydney to see him wear the Baggy Green for the first time on Thursday. The kids ran around with their fathers, who didn't want to miss even a second of this precious family time, which is a rarity for international cricketers mostly living out of their suitcases. "It's great. We spend probably more time on the road t

Boxing Day Test: Pujara highlights Starc's Impact, India's bowling concerns

India's senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara provided a detailed analysis of Mitchell Starc's performance and raised concerns about India's bowling strength ahead of the crucial India vs Australia 4th Test

What is Boxing Day Test? India, Australia's Test record at MCG | IND vs AUS

India and Australia will face each other in Melbourne Cricket Ground with hopes of taking a 2-1 lead in the ongoing 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy

IND vs AUS: Australia announce playing 11, Travis Head fit to play

Head, who had suffered a minor quad strain while batting in the Brisbane Test, underwent a rigorous fitness test on Christmas Day.

AUS's Playing 11 changes for 4th Test: Debut for Konstas, Head may miss out

Konstas, 19, will become the 468th Australian men's Test cricketer when he takes the field for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on December 26.

IND vs AUS: Tackle Bumrah with discipline, not aggression, says Katich

Katich said that going for boundaries against Bumrah will lead to losing early wickets for Australia

McSweeney's tough start may lead to return at No. 4 or 5: Vaughan

Former England captain Michael Vaughan sympathised with Nathan McSweeney for his struggles against star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah that led to his axing from Australia Test squad, and said he could comeback as a middle-order batter in future. McSweeney was dismissed by Bumrah four times across six innings and the Australia selectors have replaced him with teenage sensation Sam Konstas for the Melbourne and Sydney Test. "I look at McSweeney and think I don't think there's a player who has had a harder start to their career. I feel for the kid, because of all the people that I've seen come into Test cricket over the last 10 years, I don't think anyone's been given a harder challenge," Vaughan told Fox Sports. McSweeney, 25, who made his Test debut in the series-opener in Perth, struggled at the top with scores of 10, 0, 39, 10 not out, 9, and 4 in his six innings. "To face Bumrah in the conditions that he's had to face now, the pink ball under lights in his second game, in Perth it d

IND vs AUS: Aussie debutant Konstas ready with plan to counter Bumrah

Konstas is unfazed by the challenge of facing Bumrah. "I do have a plan for Bumrah, but I'm not going to share it," he said with confidence.

IND vs AUS: After Kohli, Australian media targets Jadeja; here's why

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja faces scrutiny from Australian media after a press conference at the MCG on Saturday

Dropped McSweeney after a lot of deliberation: Australia selector Bailey

Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey revealed on Friday that he had "deliberated a lot" before deciding to drop opener Nathan McSweeney for the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a decision based on how the series had unfolded. Teenage sensation Sam Konstas received his maiden call-up following a string of disappointing performances from the Australian top order in the first three Tests, particularly from McSweeney. Having made his Test debut in the series-opener in Perth, the 25-year-old McSweeney capped scores of 10, 0, 39, 10 not out, 9 and 4 in his six innings and was dismissed by Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah four times. "(It was a) really hard decision for Nathan and one that we spent a lot of time deliberating over. Particularly after a small sample size of three Tests...That's never a great phone call, is it?" Bailey was quoted saying in ESPNCricinfo. Bailey conceded that McSweeney was dejected after getting the news but said the top-order batt

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Team India sweats it out in the nets at the MCG

Star batters Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant were seen facing the pacers during nets at MCG ahead of the Boxing Day Test

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Top-order's performance crucial at MCG, says Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja, after missing the first two Tests, was given a chance at Brisbane, where his 77-run innings helped India save the Test

IND vs AUS: Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 hits record 86 mn TV viewers

The total watch time has surged to an impressive 12.8 billion minutes, a remarkable 75 per cent rise from the previous edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Who is young Australia batting sensation Sam Konstas?

Sam Konstas receives national call-up for the last two Tests of the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy. He will replace opener Nathan McSweeney in the squad

India vs Australia 4th Test Playing 11: Changes expected on Boxing Day

For India, there could be only one change in their playing 11, bringing another speedster in place of Mohammed Siraj. Australia might make two changes in their Playing 11

IND vs AUS: Top 10 highest wicket-takers ahead of Boxing Day Test at MCG

Bumrah's performances have been nothing short of match-winning, as he has repeatedly stepped up to rescue India from difficult situations, proving to be the backbone of the Indian bowling attack.

Head to Jadeja: Highest run-scorers ahead of Boxing Day Test | IND vs AUS

With the crucial Boxing Day Test scheduled to begin on December 26, check the highest run-getter in India vs Australia Test series, which is also known as Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 here

IND vs AUS - Ashwin has always been a bit of a thorn for our side: Starc

Australia pace bowler Mitchell Starc has paid a glorious tribute to the just-retired India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, saying he has been "a bit of a thorn" for their side in some of the memorable contests Down Under. Ashwin, India's premier off-spinner, on Wednesday surprised the cricketing world by announcing his retirement in the middle of the Test series against Australia. He retired from the game as the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests with 537 scalps from 106 matches, placing him only behind the legendary Anil Kumble (619 wickets). Ashwin played 23 Tests against Australia from 2011 to 2024, taking 115 scalps, including a 10-wicket and seven five-wicket hauls. He also played a big in India's stunning series win in 2020-21. "He (Ashwin) has always been a bit of a thorn in our side over in India and played a part in series here in Australia. It's been a fantastic career and I'm sure it will be celebrated that way," Starc told SEN Radio after the third Test her