We were outplayed in key moments, says Australia captain Tim Paine

In pictures: Virat's India breaks 71-year Test series jinx in Australia

Rishabh Pant and Tim Paine's good-humoured on-field banter has been lapped up by the television viewers and the Indian described it as a way of maintaining intensity during long on-field hours.&nbsp;

The official broadcasters of ongoing India versus Australia series Fox Cricket has kept the stump microphone on and some of the interesting exchanges between Paine and Pant have been recorded.&nbsp;

Pant, whose picture of holding Tim Paine's son along with the Australian skipper's wife Bonnie went viral after the "babysitter" banter, didn't mind that stump mic is on.&nbsp;

"That (banter) is also one of the methods to keep yourself positive and to keep yourself busy. When you are fielding for a long time, everyone's body does get tired but you need to find a way to keep yourself positive and stay concentrated. My method is this, and it works for me, and that's why I am doing it," Pant told the media on Friday.&nbsp;

"As a player, I don't think about any of these things (stump microphone being turned up). Whatever I feel like at that moment, I say it. That's the only way," he added.&nbsp;

It all started during the Melbourne Test when Pant was batting.&nbsp;

"Big MS (Dhoni) is back in the one-day squad too, we might get him (Pant) down to the (Hobart) Hurricanes we need a batter. Fancy that, Pantsy? Extend your little Aussie holiday. Beautiful town Hobart too, I'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront. (I'll) have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? I'll take the wife to the movies one night and you'll look after the kids," Paine was heard saying on the stump mic.&nbsp;

Rishabh Pant and Tim Paine's good-humoured on-field banter has been lapped up by the television viewers and the Indian described it as a way of maintaining intensity during long on-field hours.

Rishabh Pant and Tim Paine's good-humoured on-field banter has been lapped up by the television viewers and the Indian described it as a way of maintaining intensity during long on-field hours. The official broadcasters of ongoing India versus Australia series Fox Cricket has kept the stump microphone on and some of the interesting exchanges between Paine and Pant have been recorded. Pant, whose picture of holding Tim Paine's son along with the Australian skipper's wife Bonnie went viral after the "babysitter" banter, didn't mind that stump mic is on. "That (banter) is also one of the methods to keep yourself positive and to keep yourself busy. When you are fielding for a long time, everyone's body does get tired but you need to find a way to keep yourself positive and stay concentrated. My method is this, and it works for me, and that's why I am doing it," Pant told the media on Friday. "As a player, I don't think about any of these things (stump microphone being turned up). Whatever I feel like at that moment, I say it. That's the only way," he added. It all started during the Melbourne Test when Pant was batting. "Big MS (Dhoni) is back in the one-day squad too, we might get him (Pant) down to the (Hobart) Hurricanes we need a batter. Fancy that, Pantsy? Extend your little Aussie holiday. Beautiful town Hobart too, I'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront. (I'll) have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? I'll take the wife to the movies one night and you'll look after the kids," Paine was heard saying on the stump mic.

Rishabh Pant explains importance of good-humoured on-field banter

Australian skipper Tim Paine Wednesday said his "work-in-progress" team is unfazed by the prospect of losing a home Test series to India for the first time and will only be focused on being competitive in the fourth Test here.

India have never won a Test series on Australian soil, but go into the series-finale starting Thursday with a 2-1 lead. The visitors need only a draw to claim a piece of history.

"My focus has been on us improving and us playing the best possible cricket we can. We want to win every Test we play. At times it's not possible. We're playing the best Test team in the world at the moment who are playing really well," Paine admitted in the pre-match press conference.

Australia lost the third Test by 137 runs in Melbourne.

"I haven't thought too much about losing the series, that's for sure...Some guys will use different things to motivate them. My motivation is making sure we're improving, competitive at all times and put up a really good fight against India," he said.&nbsp;

Paine said Australia's inexperienced batting line-up failed to get going in Melbourne, but will slowly learn from mistakes. No Australian batsman has scored a hundred yet in this series and it is something the skipper hoped would be remedied in this final match.

"We are constantly a work in progress...As I said before, it is about trying to keep a bit of perspective, a reality about where we are at. I think we are showing signs of getting better," he said.&nbsp;

"I think in the last Test while our batters didn't set the world on fire, most guys got a start and showed that they can succeed at this level. So in this Test there is going to be a real focus from our batting group," he added.

He didn't make a direct mention of the ball-tampering bans of Steve Smith and David Warner, which will end in March, but Paine spoke of the experience that the side will have a few matches' time. He felt it would strengthen the team.&nbsp;

"We know we are not going to win too many Test matches without scoring hundreds and that's something that we have spoken about. It is something we are really keen to improve and address.

"The silver lining is that in a few Tests' time we have some world-class players available and we are going to have some younger guys with 8-10 Tests under their belt. So, it is going to be a great thing for Australian cricket," he said.

Australia are expected to make a couple of changes, with Aaron Finch making way for Usman Khawaja at the top and Peter Handscomb coming in for Mitchell Marsh. But the hosts haven't named their playing eleven for the first time in the series. Paine shrugged off suggestions that he could move up the order.

"We want to try and settle guys who we think will play long-term in their positions looking forward into the next series and then into the Ashes. But at the same time we've got to find the best eleven to win this Test as well, so it's a bit of a balancing act," he explained.&nbsp;

"I've had some discussions around that (promoting himself). It may happen, it may not, but I certainly haven't been setting the world on fire. I need to cash in on my starts as well so I'm no different to the other guys in our top six and I've just got to play my role," he added.&nbsp;

Speaking about the opposition, Paine expressed surprised that off-spinner R Ashwin might not be available for the fourth Test due to niggles. For Australia, leg-spin all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne might be set for a debut depending on the pitch conditions come Thursday morning.

"...I think some of our batters will be pretty happy to hear that news (of Ashwin probably missing out). But we know they've got some other spinners in their squad. Kuldeep Yadav is younger but has got some serious talent and Ravindra Jadeja did the job for them in Melbourne," he said.&nbsp;

"We'll have a quick look at the wicket again today an probably decide later on this afternoon. It is about team balance really.

"We'll be looking to pick the best eleven that we think is the best combination to win this Test. Obviously the wicket will play a part in that," he signed off.&nbsp;

Australian skipper Tim Paine Wednesday said his "work-in-progress" team is unfazed by the prospect of losing a home Test series to India for the first time and will only be focused on being competitive in the fourth Test here.

Australian skipper Tim Paine Wednesday said his "work-in-progress" team is unfazed by the prospect of losing a home Test series to India for the first time and will only be focused on being competitive in the fourth Test here. India have never won a Test series on Australian soil, but go into the series-finale starting Thursday with a 2-1 lead. The visitors need only a draw to claim a piece of history. "My focus has been on us improving and us playing the best possible cricket we can. We want to win every Test we play. At times it's not possible. We're playing the best Test team in the world at the moment who are playing really well," Paine admitted in the pre-match press conference. Australia lost the third Test by 137 runs in Melbourne. "I haven't thought too much about losing the series, that's for sure...Some guys will use different things to motivate them. My motivation is making sure we're improving, competitive at all times and put up a really good fight against India," he said. Paine said Australia's inexperienced batting line-up failed to get going in Melbourne, but will slowly learn from mistakes. No Australian batsman has scored a hundred yet in this series and it is something the skipper hoped would be remedied in this final match. "We are constantly a work in progress...As I said before, it is about trying to keep a bit of perspective, a reality about where we are at. I think we are showing signs of getting better," he said. "I think in the last Test while our batters didn't set the world on fire, most guys got a start and showed that they can succeed at this level. So in this Test there is going to be a real focus from our batting group," he added. He didn't make a direct mention of the ball-tampering bans of Steve Smith and David Warner, which will end in March, but Paine spoke of the experience that the side will have a few matches' time. He felt it would strengthen the team. "We know we are not going to win too many Test matches without scoring hundreds and that's something that we have spoken about. It is something we are really keen to improve and address. "The silver lining is that in a few Tests' time we have some world-class players available and we are going to have some younger guys with 8-10 Tests under their belt. So, it is going to be a great thing for Australian cricket," he said. Australia are expected to make a couple of changes, with Aaron Finch making way for Usman Khawaja at the top and Peter Handscomb coming in for Mitchell Marsh. But the hosts haven't named their playing eleven for the first time in the series. Paine shrugged off suggestions that he could move up the order. "We want to try and settle guys who we think will play long-term in their positions looking forward into the next series and then into the Ashes. But at the same time we've got to find the best eleven to win this Test as well, so it's a bit of a balancing act," he explained. "I've had some discussions around that (promoting himself). It may happen, it may not, but I certainly haven't been setting the world on fire. I need to cash in on my starts as well so I'm no different to the other guys in our top six and I've just got to play my role," he added. Speaking about the opposition, Paine expressed surprised that off-spinner R Ashwin might not be available for the fourth Test due to niggles. For Australia, leg-spin all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne might be set for a debut depending on the pitch conditions come Thursday morning. "...I think some of our batters will be pretty happy to hear that news (of Ashwin probably missing out). But we know they've got some other spinners in their squad. Kuldeep Yadav is younger but has got some serious talent and Ravindra Jadeja did the job for them in Melbourne," he said. "We'll have a quick look at the wicket again today an probably decide later on this afternoon. It is about team balance really. "We'll be looking to pick the best eleven that we think is the best combination to win this Test. Obviously the wicket will play a part in that," he signed off.

Focus on performance not preserving record against India: Paine

The banter between Indian wicketkeeper-batsman <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-now-tim-paines-sledging-includes-wife-and-babysitting-187049">Rishabh Pant and Australian skipper Tim Paine</a> during the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-australia-by-137-runs-to-win-melbourne-test-187279">Boxing Day Test</a> made several headlines.

However, the fans found the cheeky comments between the two to be interesting and laughable.&nbsp;In one such banter, Tim asked Pant if he is available to babysit his kids when he takes his wife out for a movie.&nbsp;

Pant didn’t sit back and gave it back to the Aussie skipper when he came to bat in the fourth innings and called him a ‘temporary captain’. Pant said, “We’ve got a special guest today…..have you heard of a temporary captain ever? You don’t need anything to get him out boys. He loves to talk, that’s the only thing he can do, only talking talking.”

But guess what, days later the incident, Paine's wife uploaded a picture on her Instagram where Pant can be seen holding one of her kids.

Bonnie Paine, Tim's wife, even called Pant as the 'best babysitter'.

Meanwhile, the fourth and final Test of the series will kick off on January 3 at Sydney Cricket Ground. India are leading the series 2-1 and will try to create history by winning a series on Australian soil.&nbsp;

India will be without the services of Rohit Sharma in this Test, who has flown back to India to be with his wife and new-born daughter. He is expected to be replaced by R Ashwin in the squad, keeping the pitch in mind.&nbsp;

If Ashwin is unfit for the match, then Kuldeep Yadav might be looked at for a place in the playing XI.

The banter between Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and Australian skipper Tim Paine during the Boxing Day Test made several headlines. However, the fans found the cheeky comments between the two to be interesting and laughable.

The banter between Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and Australian skipper Tim Paine during the Boxing Day Test made several headlines. However, the fans found the cheeky comments between the two to be interesting and laughable. In one such banter, Tim asked Pant if he is available to babysit his kids when he takes his wife out for a movie. Pant didn’t sit back and gave it back to the Aussie skipper when he came to bat in the fourth innings and called him a ‘temporary captain’. Pant said, “We’ve got a special guest today…..have you heard of a temporary captain ever? You don’t need anything to get him out boys. He loves to talk, that’s the only thing he can do, only talking talking.” But guess what, days later the incident, Paine's wife uploaded a picture on her Instagram where Pant can be seen holding one of her kids. Bonnie Paine, Tim's wife, even called Pant as the 'best babysitter'. Meanwhile, the fourth and final Test of the series will kick off on January 3 at Sydney Cricket Ground. India are leading the series 2-1 and will try to create history by winning a series on Australian soil. India will be without the services of Rohit Sharma in this Test, who has flown back to India to be with his wife and new-born daughter. He is expected to be replaced by R Ashwin in the squad, keeping the pitch in mind. If Ashwin is unfit for the match, then Kuldeep Yadav might be looked at for a place in the playing XI.

See! 'Babysitter' Pant's photo with Tim Paine's kids

Australian skipper Tim Paine is gathering all kinds of attention in the ongoing India-Australia Test series apart from his wicketkeeping skills. On the third day of the Melbourne Test, Paine sledged Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and the conversation was recorded on the stumps mic.

When Pant was batting, Paine said, "Now that big MS back in the ODI squad, maybe he could play for the Hobart Hurricanes, this bloke [Pant]. We need a batter. Fancy that Panty, extend your little Aussie holiday? Beautiful town Hobart too. We'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront, have you over for dinner."

He further added, "Do you babysit? I can take my wife to the movies while you watch the kids."

Pant and Mayank Agarwal not out as&nbsp;India built a 346 run lead as Australia were bowled out for 151 in their first innings, in reply to the tourists 443-7 declared.&nbsp;

Watch:

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Tim Paine doing some recruiting for the <a href="https://twitter.com/HurricanesBBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HurricanesBBL</a> out in the middle of the 'G... 😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/6btRZA3KI7">pic.twitter.com/6btRZA3KI7</a>
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1078545482597556224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The banter continues... 
Now it's for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RishabhPant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RishabhPant</a> 
 
"Left out of India's ODI squad, Rishabh Pant will have some free time after the Test series." 
 
Tim Paine had a couple of suggestions for how he can use it. 
 
Baby sitting? 👶 
A stint with the Hobart Hurricanes? 🌪️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusvInd?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusvInd</a> <a href="https://t.co/udTtqB9Q1i">pic.twitter.com/udTtqB9Q1i</a>
— Ramya Pedapudi (@ramyapedapudi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ramyapedapudi/status/1078589213690318850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-stump-mic-reveals-on-pitch-chats-between-virat-kohli-and-tim-paine-in-perth-test-184628">Paine and his banter with Virat Kohli</a> became a talking point in the Perth Test and he was at it again from behind the stumps with Rohit Sharma at the receiving end on the second day of third Test.

In the Perth Test, Paine was involved in a heated verbal exchange with Kohli, which at one point, needed the umpires' intervention.&nbsp;

Yesterday, Paine was caught on the stump microphone telling team-mate Aaron Finch that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-tim-paine-sledges-rohit-with-ipl-banter-twitterati-cant-stop-laughing-186815">he would join Mumbai team in Indian Premier League</a> if the stylish Indian hits a six at the MCG, during the post-tea session.

Recently, the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) has expressed concerns over the use of stump microphones, with its chief Alistair Nicholson saying it doesn't want players to get unnecessary sanctions for "unintentional and accidental" on-field conversations.&nbsp;

According to media reports here, the ACA has already aired its reservations on stump microphones to broadcasters.&nbsp;

The ACA said it's not against the use of stump mics but wants clarity over the "rules of engagement".&nbsp;

Australian skipper Tim Paine is gathering all kinds of attention in the ongoing India-Australia Test series apart from his wicketkeeping skills. On the third day of the Melbourne Test, Paine sledged Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and the conversation was recorded on the stumps mic.

Australian skipper Tim Paine is gathering all kinds of attention in the ongoing India-Australia Test series apart from his wicketkeeping skills. On the third day of the Melbourne Test, Paine sledged Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and the conversation was recorded on the stumps mic. When Pant was batting, Paine said, "Now that big MS back in the ODI squad, maybe he could play for the Hobart Hurricanes, this bloke [Pant]. We need a batter. Fancy that Panty, extend your little Aussie holiday? Beautiful town Hobart too. We'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront, have you over for dinner." He further added, "Do you babysit? I can take my wife to the movies while you watch the kids." Pant and Mayank Agarwal not out as India built a 346 run lead as Australia were bowled out for 151 in their first innings, in reply to the tourists 443-7 declared. Watch: Tim Paine doing some recruiting for the @HurricanesBBL out in the middle of the 'G... 😂 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/6btRZA3KI7 — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2018 × The banter continues... Now it's for #RishabhPant "Left out of India's ODI squad, Rishabh Pant will have some free time after the Test series." Tim Paine had a couple of suggestions for how he can use it. Baby sitting? 👶 A stint with the Hobart Hurricanes? 🌪️#AusvInd pic.twitter.com/udTtqB9Q1i — Ramya Pedapudi (@ramyapedapudi) December 28, 2018 × Earlier, Paine and his banter with Virat Kohli became a talking point in the Perth Test and he was at it again from behind the stumps with Rohit Sharma at the receiving end on the second day of third Test. In the Perth Test, Paine was involved in a heated verbal exchange with Kohli, which at one point, needed the umpires' intervention. Yesterday, Paine was caught on the stump microphone telling team-mate Aaron Finch that he would join Mumbai team in Indian Premier League if the stylish Indian hits a six at the MCG, during the post-tea session. Recently, the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) has expressed concerns over the use of stump microphones, with its chief Alistair Nicholson saying it doesn't want players to get unnecessary sanctions for "unintentional and accidental" on-field conversations. According to media reports here, the ACA has already aired its reservations on stump microphones to broadcasters. The ACA said it's not against the use of stump mics but wants clarity over the "rules of engagement".

Watch: Now Tim Paine's sledging includes wife, kids and babysitting

Australian skipper Tim Paine once again tried to unsettle Indian batsman Rohit Sharma through his comments from behind the stumps on the day 2 of the third Test match.

On Thursday, Paine was caught on the stump microphone provoking Rohit to go for a big hit against spinner Nathan Lyon. &nbsp;

Paine was talking about which team he is going to support in the upcoming Indian Premier League and told Aaron Finch at short-leg that it was 'a toss-up between Rajasthan and Mumbai at this time'.&nbsp;

Before Lyon was about to bowl the next ball, Paine added, "If Rohit hits a six here, I'm changing to Mumbai".&nbsp;

“It’s been a toss up for me between Royals and Indians, and if Rohit hits a six here, I am changing to Mumbai,” said Paine.

He didn’t stop there. “Too many Poms at the Royals,” he added.&nbsp;

The chatter went on for a good couple of overs with Sharma breaking into a smile every now and then.

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"If Rohit hits a six here I'm changing to Mumbai" 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/JFdHsAl84b">pic.twitter.com/JFdHsAl84b</a>
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1078139684654538752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Such a banter was seen in the second Test as well when Kohli had a go at Paine on day three saying, “if he messes it up it’s 2-0, and who’s going to talk then?” For which the Australian captain retorted, “You’ve got to bat first, big head.”

When Paine resumed batting on day four, he had a few run-ins with Kohli once again with the umpire needing to step in once and remind the two that they are the captains and need to get on with the game.

A little while after the Indian captain was dismissed, Paine took a dig at Kohli to Murali Vijay who was still out in the middle then.

“I know he is your captain, but you can’t possibly like him as a bloke,” said Paine, which was caught on the stump mic.

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<a href="https://t.co/5GVqs7HJz9">pic.twitter.com/5GVqs7HJz9</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1078143126978457600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"Rohit hits a six here, I'm changing to Mumbai Indians" 😂😂 
 
Oh Tim Paine, you are the opposition captain but we seriously can't hate your banter. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a>
— Manya (@CSKian716) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKian716/status/1078138608685592576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Tim Paine’s chatter behind the stumps is Epic😂He’s talking about who he’s fav IPL team between Mumbai and I guess RCB is ..<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SPNSportsIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SPNSportsIndia</a>
— Jason Dsouza (@jdnats) <a href="https://twitter.com/jdnats/status/1078137941258457088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In reply to India's mammoth 443, Australia were eight for no loss at stumps after Virat Kohli declared his side's inning to make the hosts bat for the remaining six overs of Day 2 of the third Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

&nbsp;

Australian skipper Tim Paine once again tried to unsettle Indian batsman Rohit Sharma through his comments from behind the stumps on the day 2 of the third Test match.

Australian skipper Tim Paine once again tried to unsettle Indian batsman Rohit Sharma through his comments from behind the stumps on the day 2 of the third Test match. On Thursday, Paine was caught on the stump microphone provoking Rohit to go for a big hit against spinner Nathan Lyon. Paine was talking about which team he is going to support in the upcoming Indian Premier League and told Aaron Finch at short-leg that it was 'a toss-up between Rajasthan and Mumbai at this time'. Before Lyon was about to bowl the next ball, Paine added, "If Rohit hits a six here, I'm changing to Mumbai". “It’s been a toss up for me between Royals and Indians, and if Rohit hits a six here, I am changing to Mumbai,” said Paine. He didn’t stop there. “Too many Poms at the Royals,” he added. The chatter went on for a good couple of overs with Sharma breaking into a smile every now and then. "If Rohit hits a six here I'm changing to Mumbai" 😂#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/JFdHsAl84b — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2018 × Such a banter was seen in the second Test as well when Kohli had a go at Paine on day three saying, “if he messes it up it’s 2-0, and who’s going to talk then?” For which the Australian captain retorted, “You’ve got to bat first, big head.” When Paine resumed batting on day four, he had a few run-ins with Kohli once again with the umpire needing to step in once and remind the two that they are the captains and need to get on with the game. A little while after the Indian captain was dismissed, Paine took a dig at Kohli to Murali Vijay who was still out in the middle then. “I know he is your captain, but you can’t possibly like him as a bloke,” said Paine, which was caught on the stump mic. pic.twitter.com/5GVqs7HJz9 — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 27, 2018 × "Rohit hits a six here, I'm changing to Mumbai Indians" 😂😂 Oh Tim Paine, you are the opposition captain but we seriously can't hate your banter. #AUSvIND — Manya (@CSKian716) December 27, 2018 × Tim Paine’s chatter behind the stumps is Epic😂He’s talking about who he’s fav IPL team between Mumbai and I guess RCB is ..#AUSvIND @SPNSportsIndia — Jason Dsouza (@jdnats) December 27, 2018 × In reply to India's mammoth 443, Australia were eight for no loss at stumps after Virat Kohli declared his side's inning to make the hosts bat for the remaining six overs of Day 2 of the third Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Watch: Tim Paine sledges Rohit with IPL banter, Twitterati can't stop laughing

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/mayank-agarwal-hanuma-vihari-to-open-as-vijay-rahul-dropped-for-boxing-day-test-186298">Boxing Day Test </a>played between December 26 and December 30 is one of the biggest year-end cricketing carnivals played at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) against the home team Australia.&nbsp;

As its history date back to 1950, the first day after Christmas is one of the best traditions in Australia and the crowd attends this encounter in huge numbers.&nbsp;

Once again, on Wednesday, the Australian side is ready to host India, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-reign-of-dominance-over-the-world-cricket-in-2018-186446">led by Virat Kohli</a>, in the third Test of the four-match series.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

But before the nail-biting clash, let's take a look at the previous Australian performances on their most important day.&nbsp;

From 1950 to 2017, a total of 42 Boxing Day Tests have been played, out of which 24 have been won by hosts Australia.

The year 1950, when the tradition of playing an international game on the Boxing Day actually began, nearly 60,486 people attended the game against England, on the first weekday following Christmas.

The fourth day of the game between Australia and England (during the 1950-51 Ashes series) was played which the hosts won by 28 runs.

For the next following years, the Boxing Day Test was not a regular fixture in the Australian cricket summer. It was in 1980, the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Australian team secured rights to begin a Test match on December 26 annually.&nbsp;

In 1989, instead of a Test match, an ODI was played on the Boxing Day against Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

The game became a regular fixture as it was a massive crowd puller. In 1975, which highlighted the popularity of the day and the game, 85,661 people attended the game against the West Indies.&nbsp;

It took another 31 years to better this record when 89,155 people were present at the MCG in 2006 for the Test match against England.

But it was in 2013 the game recorded the highest ever attendance on the Boxing Day. A total of 91,112 people audited this match against England, which Australia won by eight wickets.&nbsp;

Moreover, since 2000, the crowd presence on this day did not go down below 50,000. The lowest gathering was registered in 1993 against South Africa which ended in a draw.&nbsp;

India too experienced the taste of what it means to take on the Aussie spirit on Boxing Day at the Melbourne cricket ground(MCG) on December 26th, 2003 as Sourav's tigers leading 1-0 in the series sought to slay the home team.

Captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and expectedly chose to bat as the capacity crowd at Melbourne sat down to witness another Indian batting extravaganza. The Indian summer in Australia truly arrived as Sehwag came out to bat with Akash Chopra.

Sehwag smashed the Aussie attack comprising of Brett Lee, Bracken, Williams and MacGill to all corners of the Melbourne stadium piling up 195 in just 233 balls. The Indian opener scored a massive 25 boundaries which included five sixes. The Boxing Day truly belonged to Sehwag and India as the Aussies applauded the new India.&nbsp;

In end, Sehwag holed out to Bracken on the boundary attempting another six as he eyed a double century falling short by five runs to be dismissed by Katich for 195, the highest score by an Indian at the MCG.

India finished the day on top at 329/4 powered by Sehwag's swashbuckling knock. However, the Aussies hit back during their innings as Hayden bludgeoned India scoring 136 and Ponting scored a match-winning double ton(257 with 25 boundaries, like Sehwag) as India crumbled to defeat losing by nine wickets.

The 43rd match between India and Australia will also be a memorable as the hosts will be playing for their pride while the Men in Blue will fight to return to the winning momentum.&nbsp;

The Boxing Day Test played between December 26 and December 30 is one of the biggest year-end cricketing carnivals played at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) against the home team Australia.

The Boxing Day Test played between December 26 and December 30 is one of the biggest year-end cricketing carnivals played at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) against the home team Australia. As its history date back to 1950, the first day after Christmas is one of the best traditions in Australia and the crowd attends this encounter in huge numbers. Once again, on Wednesday, the Australian side is ready to host India, led by Virat Kohli, in the third Test of the four-match series. But before the nail-biting clash, let's take a look at the previous Australian performances on their most important day. From 1950 to 2017, a total of 42 Boxing Day Tests have been played, out of which 24 have been won by hosts Australia. The year 1950, when the tradition of playing an international game on the Boxing Day actually began, nearly 60,486 people attended the game against England, on the first weekday following Christmas. The fourth day of the game between Australia and England (during the 1950-51 Ashes series) was played which the hosts won by 28 runs. For the next following years, the Boxing Day Test was not a regular fixture in the Australian cricket summer. It was in 1980, the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Australian team secured rights to begin a Test match on December 26 annually. In 1989, instead of a Test match, an ODI was played on the Boxing Day against Sri Lanka. The game became a regular fixture as it was a massive crowd puller. In 1975, which highlighted the popularity of the day and the game, 85,661 people attended the game against the West Indies. It took another 31 years to better this record when 89,155 people were present at the MCG in 2006 for the Test match against England. But it was in 2013 the game recorded the highest ever attendance on the Boxing Day. A total of 91,112 people audited this match against England, which Australia won by eight wickets. Moreover, since 2000, the crowd presence on this day did not go down below 50,000. The lowest gathering was registered in 1993 against South Africa which ended in a draw. India too experienced the taste of what it means to take on the Aussie spirit on Boxing Day at the Melbourne cricket ground(MCG) on December 26th, 2003 as Sourav's tigers leading 1-0 in the series sought to slay the home team. Captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and expectedly chose to bat as the capacity crowd at Melbourne sat down to witness another Indian batting extravaganza. The Indian summer in Australia truly arrived as Sehwag came out to bat with Akash Chopra. Sehwag smashed the Aussie attack comprising of Brett Lee, Bracken, Williams and MacGill to all corners of the Melbourne stadium piling up 195 in just 233 balls. The Indian opener scored a massive 25 boundaries which included five sixes. The Boxing Day truly belonged to Sehwag and India as the Aussies applauded the new India. In end, Sehwag holed out to Bracken on the boundary attempting another six as he eyed a double century falling short by five runs to be dismissed by Katich for 195, the highest score by an Indian at the MCG. India finished the day on top at 329/4 powered by Sehwag's swashbuckling knock. However, the Aussies hit back during their innings as Hayden bludgeoned India scoring 136 and Ponting scored a match-winning double ton(257 with 25 boundaries, like Sehwag) as India crumbled to defeat losing by nine wickets. The 43rd match between India and Australia will also be a memorable as the hosts will be playing for their pride while the Men in Blue will fight to return to the winning momentum.

3rd Test: Australia's almost 'invincible' record awaits India on Boxing Day

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-irritated-by-resignation-letter-tells-mattis-to-go-2-months-early-186055">Trump, irritated by resignation letter, tells Mattis to go 2 months early</a>

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was replacing Defence Secretary Jim Mattis two months earlier than had been expected, a move officials said was driven by Trump's anger at Mattis' resignation letter and its rebuke of his foreign policy.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/relishing-battle-with-virat-kohli-says-australia-captain-tim-paine-186063">'Relishing' battle with Virat Kohli, says Australia captain Tim Paine</a>

Australia skipper Tim Paine said Monday he is relishing his sometimes heated battle with animated Indian counterpart Virat Kohli, and promised "intense, hard" cricket in the crunch Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.

The pair had some testy exchanges in the second Test at Perth, which at one point needed the umpire to intervene.

And Kohli offered only a frosty handshake at the end of the game, which Australia won to level the four-Test series 1-1, refusing to meet Paine's eye in a move blasted by some as disrespectful.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/another-tsunami-could-hit-indonesia-experts-warn-186056">Another tsunami could hit Indonesia, warn experts</a>

Another tsunami could strike Indonesia, experts warned on Sunday, a day after more than 200 people were killed by a wave triggered by a volcanic eruption.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/doctor-kills-ex-wife-keeps-her-alive-on-social-media-for-7-months-186064">UP doctor kills ex-wife, keeps her 'alive' on social media for 7 months</a>

A UP doctor and owner of a hospital killed his ex-wife and kept her "alive" on social media for seven months to hoodwink the authorities.&nbsp;

Dr Dharmendra Pratap Singh, with the help of two employees, killed his wife in Pokhara, Nepal in June 2018 by throwing her off a cliff.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ashutosh-rana-madhur-bhandarkar-back-naseeruddin-shahs-comment-on-bulandshahr-violence-186062">Ashutosh Rana, Madhur Bhandarkar come out in support of Naseeruddin Shah</a>

Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana and film director Madhur Bhandarkar have come out in support of Naseeruddin Shah over the veteran actor`s recent comment on Bulandshahr violence.

Speaking on the ongoing controversy surrounding Shah`s comment, Rana stated that everyone has a right to share their thoughts. 
&nbsp;

Trump, irritated by resignation letter, tells Mattis to go 2 months early US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was replacing Defence Secretary Jim Mattis two months earlier than had been expected, a move officials said was driven by Trump's anger at Mattis' resignation letter and its rebuke of his foreign policy.

Trump, irritated by resignation letter, tells Mattis to go 2 months early US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was replacing Defence Secretary Jim Mattis two months earlier than had been expected, a move officials said was driven by Trump's anger at Mattis' resignation letter and its rebuke of his foreign policy. 'Relishing' battle with Virat Kohli, says Australia captain Tim Paine Australia skipper Tim Paine said Monday he is relishing his sometimes heated battle with animated Indian counterpart Virat Kohli, and promised "intense, hard" cricket in the crunch Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. The pair had some testy exchanges in the second Test at Perth, which at one point needed the umpire to intervene. And Kohli offered only a frosty handshake at the end of the game, which Australia won to level the four-Test series 1-1, refusing to meet Paine's eye in a move blasted by some as disrespectful. Another tsunami could hit Indonesia, warn experts Another tsunami could strike Indonesia, experts warned on Sunday, a day after more than 200 people were killed by a wave triggered by a volcanic eruption. UP doctor kills ex-wife, keeps her 'alive' on social media for 7 months A UP doctor and owner of a hospital killed his ex-wife and kept her "alive" on social media for seven months to hoodwink the authorities. Dr Dharmendra Pratap Singh, with the help of two employees, killed his wife in Pokhara, Nepal in June 2018 by throwing her off a cliff. Ashutosh Rana, Madhur Bhandarkar come out in support of Naseeruddin Shah Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana and film director Madhur Bhandarkar have come out in support of Naseeruddin Shah over the veteran actor`s recent comment on Bulandshahr violence. Speaking on the ongoing controversy surrounding Shah`s comment, Rana stated that everyone has a right to share their thoughts.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Australia skipper Tim Paine said Monday he is relishing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/you-cant-like-virat-kohli-as-a-man-paine-caught-saying-to-murali-vijay-on-stump-mic-184815">his sometimes heated battle with animated Indian counterpart Virat </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/you-cant-like-virat-kohli-as-a-man-paine-caught-saying-to-murali-vijay-on-stump-mic-184815">Kohli</a>, and promised "intense, hard" cricket in the crunch Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.

The pair had some testy exchanges in the second Test at Perth, which at one point needed the umpire to intervene.

And Kohli offered only a frosty handshake at the end of the game, which Australia won to level the four-Test series 1-1, refusing to meet Paine's eye in a move blasted by some as disrespectful.

But Paine said he appreciated that Kohli never liked to lose.

"A lot was made of my battle with Virat in the second Test, and for the past few years when I haven't been playing international cricket, he was one guy I loved watching," he said in a column for Melbourne's Herald Sun.

"Now to be out in the middle going head-to-head with him in a Test series is something I'm really relishing."

Paine said he was not annoyed "in the slightest" by Kohli looking straight past him at the handshake.

"Virat is someone who is prepared to wear his heart on his sleeve and like all professional athletes, hates to lose," he said.

"I like the way Virat plays. I don't know him personally but I've always admired -- not only his obvious skill as a player -- but the passion and aggression he plays with. People like to see that and he gets fans through the gates."

Kohli's antics in Perth, where he also failed to acknowledge the crowd's applause after he was controversially given out in the first innings for 123, brought a stunning rebuke from veteran Bollywood star Naseeruddin Shah.

Middle-order puzzle 
He described him as "not only the world's best batsman but also <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/after-mike-hussey-naseeruddin-shah-slams-virat-kohli-by-calling-him-worlds-worst-behaved-player-184868">the world's worst behaved player</a>", with the mass-circulation Hindustan Times saying it articulated what many Indian cricket fans had been thinking.

His behaviour when the Melbourne Test begins on Wednesday will closely watched, but he has the backing of coach Ravi Shastri who on Sunday called Kohli "an absolute gentleman".

Australian coach Justin Langer said Monday his biggest selection headache was whether to persist with middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb or recall all-rounder Mitch Marsh to ease the pressure on pace spearheads Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

"In a perfectly balanced side you'll have someone who can bowl some overs so Mitch becomes an attractive commodity on a wicket probably unlike Adelaide and Perth," he said, where the surface offered fast bowlers plenty of opportunities.

On the other hand, Handscomb would be an asset if the visitors opt for two spinners.&nbsp;

India are sweating on the fitness of key spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was sidelined with an abdominal strain for the Perth Test.&nbsp;

Left-arm off-spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also carrying a niggle but is expected to be fit, as is experienced batsman Rohit Sharma, who also missed the second Test.

India's main concern is the form of openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay, who have struggled for runs, putting an extra burden on Kohli and number three Cheteshwar Pujara.

Shastri made clear on Sunday more was expected from them in Melbourne.

"It's obvious and that responsibility and accountability has to be taken by the top order," he said.

"They've got the experience, they've got the exposure over these last few years to get out there and deliver."

Australia skipper Tim Paine said Monday he is relishing his sometimes heated battle with animated Indian counterpart Virat Kohli, and promised "intense, hard" cricket in the crunch Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.

Australia skipper Tim Paine said Monday he is relishing his sometimes heated battle with animated Indian counterpart Virat Kohli, and promised "intense, hard" cricket in the crunch Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. The pair had some testy exchanges in the second Test at Perth, which at one point needed the umpire to intervene. And Kohli offered only a frosty handshake at the end of the game, which Australia won to level the four-Test series 1-1, refusing to meet Paine's eye in a move blasted by some as disrespectful. But Paine said he appreciated that Kohli never liked to lose. "A lot was made of my battle with Virat in the second Test, and for the past few years when I haven't been playing international cricket, he was one guy I loved watching," he said in a column for Melbourne's Herald Sun. "Now to be out in the middle going head-to-head with him in a Test series is something I'm really relishing." Paine said he was not annoyed "in the slightest" by Kohli looking straight past him at the handshake. "Virat is someone who is prepared to wear his heart on his sleeve and like all professional athletes, hates to lose," he said. "I like the way Virat plays. I don't know him personally but I've always admired -- not only his obvious skill as a player -- but the passion and aggression he plays with. People like to see that and he gets fans through the gates." Kohli's antics in Perth, where he also failed to acknowledge the crowd's applause after he was controversially given out in the first innings for 123, brought a stunning rebuke from veteran Bollywood star Naseeruddin Shah. Middle-order puzzle He described him as "not only the world's best batsman but also the world's worst behaved player", with the mass-circulation Hindustan Times saying it articulated what many Indian cricket fans had been thinking. His behaviour when the Melbourne Test begins on Wednesday will closely watched, but he has the backing of coach Ravi Shastri who on Sunday called Kohli "an absolute gentleman". Australian coach Justin Langer said Monday his biggest selection headache was whether to persist with middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb or recall all-rounder Mitch Marsh to ease the pressure on pace spearheads Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. "In a perfectly balanced side you'll have someone who can bowl some overs so Mitch becomes an attractive commodity on a wicket probably unlike Adelaide and Perth," he said, where the surface offered fast bowlers plenty of opportunities. On the other hand, Handscomb would be an asset if the visitors opt for two spinners. India are sweating on the fitness of key spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was sidelined with an abdominal strain for the Perth Test. Left-arm off-spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also carrying a niggle but is expected to be fit, as is experienced batsman Rohit Sharma, who also missed the second Test. India's main concern is the form of openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay, who have struggled for runs, putting an extra burden on Kohli and number three Cheteshwar Pujara. Shastri made clear on Sunday more was expected from them in Melbourne. "It's obvious and that responsibility and accountability has to be taken by the top order," he said. "They've got the experience, they've got the exposure over these last few years to get out there and deliver."

'Relishing' battle with Virat Kohli, says Australia captain Tim Paine

Captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind India's struggling openers but the tourists' defeat in Perth showed they have yet to find a solution to their top order woes.

Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay have managed only one double-digit stand midway through the four-test series in Australia, hardly the starts that would help bring India a first test series win Down Under.

Their struggles have intensified pressure on the middle order of a team with a lengthy tail, and number three Cheteshwar Pujara has had to walk out to bat inside four overs on three of the four occasions.

Opening stands made telling difference in Perth, where Australia prevailed by 146 runs to square the four-test series.

The 112-run first innings stand between Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch laid the platform for Australia's 300-plus total in a low-scoring contest and they raised 59 in the second to help set India a target which the tourists could not achieve.

Rahul, who has managed 48 in four innings, has looked like a sitting duck, with batting great Sunil Gavaskar demanding the 26-year-old be sent home to work on his game.

"I think he should come back and play Ranji Trophy for Karnataka," the former India captain told Aaj Tak channel.

"It is not just that he is out of form, he is just not there and you can see that."

Rahul has not managed a fifty in his last seven test outings and equally worrying has been the manner of his dismissals, with the right hander either bowled or trapped LBW in 11 of his last 14 innings.

India batting coach Sanjay Bangar lamented last month that the opener was "finding new ways to get out" and many believe Rahul needs to work out the flaws with his technique.

Opening partner Vijay has not covered himself in glory either on his return to the squad after he and fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan were dropped following modest returns in England.

Vijay has managed 49 runs from four innings but may still continue as opener purely because India have lost the exciting Prithvi Shaw to an ankle injury for the entire series.

"I'm sure those guys have figured out what's gone wrong in this game especially and they're very keen to correct it themselves," Kohli said in Perth of his misfiring openers.

The tourists have flown in Mayank Agarwal as replacement, rewarding the uncapped opener for his consistency in domestic cricket.

The series shifts to the traditional Boxing Day test in Melbourne followed by the finale in Sydney.

Captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind India's struggling openers but the tourists' defeat in Perth showed they have yet to find a solution to their top order woes.

Captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind India's struggling openers but the tourists' defeat in Perth showed they have yet to find a solution to their top order woes. Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay have managed only one double-digit stand midway through the four-test series in Australia, hardly the starts that would help bring India a first test series win Down Under. Their struggles have intensified pressure on the middle order of a team with a lengthy tail, and number three Cheteshwar Pujara has had to walk out to bat inside four overs on three of the four occasions. Opening stands made telling difference in Perth, where Australia prevailed by 146 runs to square the four-test series. The 112-run first innings stand between Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch laid the platform for Australia's 300-plus total in a low-scoring contest and they raised 59 in the second to help set India a target which the tourists could not achieve. Rahul, who has managed 48 in four innings, has looked like a sitting duck, with batting great Sunil Gavaskar demanding the 26-year-old be sent home to work on his game. "I think he should come back and play Ranji Trophy for Karnataka," the former India captain told Aaj Tak channel. "It is not just that he is out of form, he is just not there and you can see that." Rahul has not managed a fifty in his last seven test outings and equally worrying has been the manner of his dismissals, with the right hander either bowled or trapped LBW in 11 of his last 14 innings. India batting coach Sanjay Bangar lamented last month that the opener was "finding new ways to get out" and many believe Rahul needs to work out the flaws with his technique. Opening partner Vijay has not covered himself in glory either on his return to the squad after he and fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan were dropped following modest returns in England. Vijay has managed 49 runs from four innings but may still continue as opener purely because India have lost the exciting Prithvi Shaw to an ankle injury for the entire series. "I'm sure those guys have figured out what's gone wrong in this game especially and they're very keen to correct it themselves," Kohli said in Perth of his misfiring openers. The tourists have flown in Mayank Agarwal as replacement, rewarding the uncapped opener for his consistency in domestic cricket. The series shifts to the traditional Boxing Day test in Melbourne followed by the finale in Sydney.

IND vs AUS: Opening woes continue to blight India Down Under

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) Tuesday rubbished media reports in Australia which claimed that captain Virat Kohli bragged about being the best batsman in the world while ridiculing Tim Paine during the second Test in Perth.&nbsp;

The two captains were consistently involved in banter during the match but both insisted that no line was crossed. Reports in Australia claimed that the world's No.1 Test and ODI batsman boasted about being the best in the business during the showdowns.

The BCCI came out in support of Kohli, saying the statement attributed to Kohli was just hearsay and he never bragged about himself.&nbsp;

"It is 'assumed' that Kohli said, 'I am the best player in the world and you are just a stand-in captain'. These claims were based on hearsay and the BCCI would like to bring into notice that no such words were spoken on the field by the Indian captain," BCCI said in a statement.

"The BCCI got a clarification from the team management about the incident and would like to classify the reports as baseless."

With the banter reported by the media on the last two days of the match, Kohli faced questions on the issue but he said no one crossed the line.

"As long as there is no swearing on the field, and there's no personal attacks, the line doesn't get crossed. That's it!. But look, in the competitive spirit, it stays on the field. I am not going to go into details but to be honest it's not of importance for me to speak on and it's something that's done," Kohli said after India lost the Test by 146 runs.

Paine also insisted that things never went out of hand.

"It was a highly competitive Test match from both teams. There's a lot on the line and both teams desperately want to win and sometimes that stuff happens" Paine said during the post-match press conference.

"It was just two competitive cricketers trying to do their best to win the game," Paine said.

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) Tuesday rubbished media reports in Australia which claimed that captain Virat Kohli bragged about being the best batsman in the world while ridiculing Tim Paine during the second Test in Perth.

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) Tuesday rubbished media reports in Australia which claimed that captain Virat Kohli bragged about being the best batsman in the world while ridiculing Tim Paine during the second Test in Perth. The two captains were consistently involved in banter during the match but both insisted that no line was crossed. Reports in Australia claimed that the world's No.1 Test and ODI batsman boasted about being the best in the business during the showdowns. The BCCI came out in support of Kohli, saying the statement attributed to Kohli was just hearsay and he never bragged about himself. "It is 'assumed' that Kohli said, 'I am the best player in the world and you are just a stand-in captain'. These claims were based on hearsay and the BCCI would like to bring into notice that no such words were spoken on the field by the Indian captain," BCCI said in a statement. "The BCCI got a clarification from the team management about the incident and would like to classify the reports as baseless." With the banter reported by the media on the last two days of the match, Kohli faced questions on the issue but he said no one crossed the line. "As long as there is no swearing on the field, and there's no personal attacks, the line doesn't get crossed. That's it!. But look, in the competitive spirit, it stays on the field. I am not going to go into details but to be honest it's not of importance for me to speak on and it's something that's done," Kohli said after India lost the Test by 146 runs. Paine also insisted that things never went out of hand. "It was a highly competitive Test match from both teams. There's a lot on the line and both teams desperately want to win and sometimes that stuff happens" Paine said during the post-match press conference. "It was just two competitive cricketers trying to do their best to win the game," Paine said.

BCCI says Virat Kohli never said 'he’s the best player in the world'

Australia beat India by 146 runs in the morning session of the fifth and final day of the second Test on Tuesday to level up the four-match series at 1-1.

The tourists, chasing 287 runs for victory, were dismissed for 140 at the new Perth Stadium when Jasprit Bumrah was caught and bowled by quick Pat Cummins as the last wicket of the innings.

Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc finished with 3-46, while spinner Nathan Lyon took 3-39 on a feisty pitch. For India, Ajinkya Rahane made 30 with the bat and Rishabh Pant also 30.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
🙌 AUSTRALIA WIN 🙌 
 
The hosts register a convincing 146-run win by bowling India out for 140 early in the morning session on Day 5.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> SCORECARD ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/viG01B7TWC">https://t.co/viG01B7TWC</a> <a href="https://t.co/siotOPs9LR">pic.twitter.com/siotOPs9LR</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1074870379561111552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In the post-match&nbsp;presentation, Virat Kohli said, "Australia played better cricket than us and they deserved to win."

Cricket pundits questioned&nbsp;Virat's decision&nbsp;to play with four seamers and not picking a single spinner in the playing squad for Perth Test.

India skipper Kohli said, "When we looked at the pitch, we didn't think about the Jadeja option. We thought four quicks would be enough."

He justified saying, "We never thought about the spin option, to be honest."

Kohli praised spinner Lyon, who won player of the match, for his brilliant performance. Kohli said, "Nathan Lyon bowled really well."

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With match-winning figures of 8/106 in the Perth Test, Nathan Lyon is named the Player of the Match. 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/agHLjqKga5">pic.twitter.com/agHLjqKga5</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1074878396847382528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It was a first win in eight Test matches for Australia. India, who won the opener at Adelaide Oval by 31 runs, have never won a Test series in Australia.

The series continues with the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground starting on December 26 before concluding with the fourth Test in Sydney in the New Year.

Australia beat India by 146 runs in the morning session of the fifth and final day of the second Test on Tuesday to level up the four-match series at 1-1. The tourists, chasing 287 runs for victory, were dismissed for 140 at the new Perth Stadium when Jasprit Bumrah was caught and bowled by quick Pat Cummins as the last wicket of the innings.

Australia beat India by 146 runs in the morning session of the fifth and final day of the second Test on Tuesday to level up the four-match series at 1-1. The tourists, chasing 287 runs for victory, were dismissed for 140 at the new Perth Stadium when Jasprit Bumrah was caught and bowled by quick Pat Cummins as the last wicket of the innings. Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc finished with 3-46, while spinner Nathan Lyon took 3-39 on a feisty pitch. For India, Ajinkya Rahane made 30 with the bat and Rishabh Pant also 30. 🙌 AUSTRALIA WIN 🙌 The hosts register a convincing 146-run win by bowling India out for 140 early in the morning session on Day 5.#AUSvIND SCORECARD ⬇️ https://t.co/viG01B7TWC pic.twitter.com/siotOPs9LR — ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2018 × In the post-match presentation, Virat Kohli said, "Australia played better cricket than us and they deserved to win." Cricket pundits questioned Virat's decision to play with four seamers and not picking a single spinner in the playing squad for Perth Test. India skipper Kohli said, "When we looked at the pitch, we didn't think about the Jadeja option. We thought four quicks would be enough." He justified saying, "We never thought about the spin option, to be honest." Kohli praised spinner Lyon, who won player of the match, for his brilliant performance. Kohli said, "Nathan Lyon bowled really well." With match-winning figures of 8/106 in the Perth Test, Nathan Lyon is named the Player of the Match. 👏#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/agHLjqKga5 — ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2018 × It was a first win in eight Test matches for Australia. India, who won the opener at Adelaide Oval by 31 runs, have never won a Test series in Australia. The series continues with the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground starting on December 26 before concluding with the fourth Test in Sydney in the New Year.

Australia thrash India to win Perth Test by 146 runs, level series 1-1

Australia captain Tim Paine was a relieved man as Australia registered a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-australia-thrash-india-to-win-perth-test-by-146-runs-184935">146-run victory over India</a> in the second Test match of a four-match series in Perth.

It is Australia's first&nbsp;win since the ball-tampering&nbsp;scandal, which included former captain Steve Smith, David Warner&nbsp;and&nbsp;Cameron Bancroft.

The Paine-led team marked a&nbsp;drought-breaking success,&nbsp;their&nbsp;first in seven Tests spanning almost 10 months.

It was Paine's first Test win in five matches since taking over from the suspended Steve Smith in South Africa, and also the first victory for new coach Justin Langer, coming in his hometown.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-we-thought-four-quicks-would-be-enough-says-virat-kohli-after-losing-perth-test-184960">'We thought four quicks would be enough,' says Virat Kohli after losing Perth Test</a>

In the post-match presentation, Paine said, "It's a big relief because the first Test win has taken a while."

India, chasing&nbsp;287 to win, the visitors resumed at 115 for five on the final day but lost their remaining wickets for just 21 runs in the morning session.

India&nbsp;were&nbsp;dismissed for 140, with spinner Nathan Lyon claiming 3-39 to finish with eight wickets for the match.&nbsp;

Paine, who was involved in a verbal spat with Indian counterpart Virat Kohli on the third and fourth days, said the overwhelming emotion was relief at finally being able to put a dark period in Australian cricket behind them.

Paine hailed his team for their performance, "We won the toss and decided to bat. We had our fingers crossed and hoped we play pretty well."

"It's been hard work - the first two Tests of this series have been really tough."

"We've got some inexperienced players in terms of Test matches played, to get a win like that against the best Test team in the world is going to give them a huge boost of confidence."

He especially mentioned the openers, "Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch getting us to none for 100 was brilliant batting and probably the difference between the two sides."

Paine also praised Nathan Lyon's performance, "It's great to have Lyon in our team. Every team would want to have him in their team. You can throw him the ball in any condition, at any end, any time against any team and he loves bowling to the best players in the world."

"It's a huge honour to captain the Australian side."

"Now to do it at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test is a special feeling. We all can't wait to get to Melbourne," concluded.

Australia captain Tim Paine was a relieved man as Australia registered a 146-run victory over India in the second Test match of a four-match series in Perth. It is Australia's first win since the ball-tampering scandal, which included former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Australia captain Tim Paine was a relieved man as Australia registered a 146-run victory over India in the second Test match of a four-match series in Perth. It is Australia's first win since the ball-tampering scandal, which included former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. The Paine-led team marked a drought-breaking success, their first in seven Tests spanning almost 10 months. It was Paine's first Test win in five matches since taking over from the suspended Steve Smith in South Africa, and also the first victory for new coach Justin Langer, coming in his hometown. Also Read: 'We thought four quicks would be enough,' says Virat Kohli after losing Perth Test In the post-match presentation, Paine said, "It's a big relief because the first Test win has taken a while." India, chasing 287 to win, the visitors resumed at 115 for five on the final day but lost their remaining wickets for just 21 runs in the morning session. India were dismissed for 140, with spinner Nathan Lyon claiming 3-39 to finish with eight wickets for the match. Paine, who was involved in a verbal spat with Indian counterpart Virat Kohli on the third and fourth days, said the overwhelming emotion was relief at finally being able to put a dark period in Australian cricket behind them. Paine hailed his team for their performance, "We won the toss and decided to bat. We had our fingers crossed and hoped we play pretty well." "It's been hard work - the first two Tests of this series have been really tough." "We've got some inexperienced players in terms of Test matches played, to get a win like that against the best Test team in the world is going to give them a huge boost of confidence." He especially mentioned the openers, "Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch getting us to none for 100 was brilliant batting and probably the difference between the two sides." Paine also praised Nathan Lyon's performance, "It's great to have Lyon in our team. Every team would want to have him in their team. You can throw him the ball in any condition, at any end, any time against any team and he loves bowling to the best players in the world." "It's a huge honour to captain the Australian side." "Now to do it at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test is a special feeling. We all can't wait to get to Melbourne," concluded.

'It's a big relief,' says Tim Paine as Australia win for first time since ball-tampering scandal

Australia have retained the same 13-man squad for the remaining two matches in Melbourne and Sydney after beating India in the second Test in Perth, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday.

The hosts beat the world's top-ranked Test side by 146 runs at the Perth Stadium to level the series at 1-1 after the opening loss in Adelaide.

Uncapped paceman Chris Tremain will continue to remain out of the squad after being released before the Perth match, Cricket Australia (CA) said in a statement.

"With Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle in the squad we believe we have enough fast bowlers to choose from, so we've made the decision to stick with the 13 person squad for the remaining two Test matches against India," national selector Trevor Hohns said.

"We believe it's important to keep this group together to build on the momentum we have established in Perth."

Melbourne will host the traditional Boxing Day Test before the final match is played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3.

Squad: Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

Australia have retained the same 13-man squad for the remaining two matches in Melbourne and Sydney after beating India in the second Test in Perth, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday.

Australia have retained the same 13-man squad for the remaining two matches in Melbourne and Sydney after beating India in the second Test in Perth, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday. The hosts beat the world's top-ranked Test side by 146 runs at the Perth Stadium to level the series at 1-1 after the opening loss in Adelaide. Uncapped paceman Chris Tremain will continue to remain out of the squad after being released before the Perth match, Cricket Australia (CA) said in a statement. "With Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle in the squad we believe we have enough fast bowlers to choose from, so we've made the decision to stick with the 13 person squad for the remaining two Test matches against India," national selector Trevor Hohns said. "We believe it's important to keep this group together to build on the momentum we have established in Perth." Melbourne will host the traditional Boxing Day Test before the final match is played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3. Squad: Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

Australia rely on unchanged squad for last two India Tests

Warring captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine on Monday resumed their verbal duel, forcing on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney to warn both the players on the fourth morning of the second Test between India and Australia.&nbsp;

During the 71st over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and Gaffaney had to step in.

"You're the one that lost it yesterday. Why are you trying to be cool today" Paine told Kohli.

"That's enough, that's enough," Gaffaney interrupted.

"Come on, play the game. You guys are the captains. Tim, you're the captain."&nbsp;

Paine replied: "We're just having a conversation. There's no swearing ... Keep your cool Virat."

Also Watch: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-stump-mic-reveals-on-pitch-chats-between-virat-kohli-and-tim-paine-in-perth-test-184628">Stump mic reveals ugly on-pitch chats between Kohli and Paine in Perth Test</a>

Kohli said something which couldn't be picked up by the microphones.

A couple of balls later, the warring duo almost came close to chest bumping when the India skipper walked in front of Paine while he was completing a run.

Kohli later appeared to plead his case to square-leg umpire Kumar Dharmasena as Paine and Usman Khawaja continued to extend Australia's second-innings lead.

"I reckon it's a sign Kohli is starting to lose it," former Test bowler Damien Fleming said on SEN radio.

India commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wasn't too pleased with Kohli's behaviour but former Australian skippers Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke said they had no issue with the verbal exchange between the two captains and that no line has been crossed so far.

Warring captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine on Monday resumed their verbal duel, forcing on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney to warn both the players on the fourth morning of the second Test between India and Australia.

Warring captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine on Monday resumed their verbal duel, forcing on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney to warn both the players on the fourth morning of the second Test between India and Australia. During the 71st over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and Gaffaney had to step in. "You're the one that lost it yesterday. Why are you trying to be cool today" Paine told Kohli. "That's enough, that's enough," Gaffaney interrupted. "Come on, play the game. You guys are the captains. Tim, you're the captain." Paine replied: "We're just having a conversation. There's no swearing ... Keep your cool Virat." Also Watch: Stump mic reveals ugly on-pitch chats between Kohli and Paine in Perth Test Kohli said something which couldn't be picked up by the microphones. A couple of balls later, the warring duo almost came close to chest bumping when the India skipper walked in front of Paine while he was completing a run. Kohli later appeared to plead his case to square-leg umpire Kumar Dharmasena as Paine and Usman Khawaja continued to extend Australia's second-innings lead. "I reckon it's a sign Kohli is starting to lose it," former Test bowler Damien Fleming said on SEN radio. India commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wasn't too pleased with Kohli's behaviour but former Australian skippers Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke said they had no issue with the verbal exchange between the two captains and that no line has been crossed so far.

India vs Australia: Umpire issues warning to Kohli, Paine as their on-pitch chat continued on Day 4

Former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey has said that Indian skipper <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=virat+kohli">Virat Kohli</a> is out of control and that he does not like his attitude.

"Kohli is out of control... I don't like his attitude at the moment," Hussey was quoted as saying by Macquarie Sports Radio.

Virat's behaviour has been questioned of late&nbsp;after he was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-stump-mic-reveals-on-pitch-chats-between-virat-kohli-and-tim-paine-in-perth-test-184628">heard exchanging words</a> with Australian skipper Tim Paine on day&nbsp;three of the Perth Test. The stump mic revealed an ugly war of words between the two captains.

The match got spiced up on the third day when Virat Kohli completed his 25th Test hundred got India to 283 runs but caught at second slip after a controversial catch by Peter Handscomb.

Virat looked unhappy with the decision and tensions flared-up when Australia started batting in their second innings.

Kohli was his usual animated self but his on-field antics did not go down well with former Australian players Mike Hussey and Allan Border.

"Kohli is out of control ... I don't like his attitude at the moment," Hussey was quoted as saying by Macquarie Sports Radio, while former captain&nbsp;

Border told Fox Cricket: "I don't think I've ever seen any captain carry on like that."

Virat Kohli and Tim Paine on Monday resumed their verbal duel, forcing on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney to warn both the players on the fourth morning of the second Test between India and Australia.&nbsp;

During the 71st over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and Gaffaney had to step in.

Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wasn't too pleased with Kohli's behaviour but former Australian skippers Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke said they had no issue with the verbal exchange between the two captains and that no line has been crossed so far.&nbsp;

Former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey has said that Indian skipper Virat Kohli is out of control and that he does not like his attitude. "Kohli is out of control.

Former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey has said that Indian skipper Virat Kohli is out of control and that he does not like his attitude. "Kohli is out of control... I don't like his attitude at the moment," Hussey was quoted as saying by Macquarie Sports Radio. Virat's behaviour has been questioned of late after he was heard exchanging words with Australian skipper Tim Paine on day three of the Perth Test. The stump mic revealed an ugly war of words between the two captains. The match got spiced up on the third day when Virat Kohli completed his 25th Test hundred got India to 283 runs but caught at second slip after a controversial catch by Peter Handscomb. Virat looked unhappy with the decision and tensions flared-up when Australia started batting in their second innings. Kohli was his usual animated self but his on-field antics did not go down well with former Australian players Mike Hussey and Allan Border. "Kohli is out of control ... I don't like his attitude at the moment," Hussey was quoted as saying by Macquarie Sports Radio, while former captain Border told Fox Cricket: "I don't think I've ever seen any captain carry on like that." Virat Kohli and Tim Paine on Monday resumed their verbal duel, forcing on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney to warn both the players on the fourth morning of the second Test between India and Australia. During the 71st over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and Gaffaney had to step in. Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wasn't too pleased with Kohli's behaviour but former Australian skippers Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke said they had no issue with the verbal exchange between the two captains and that no line has been crossed so far.

'Kohli is out of control... I don't like his attitude,' says former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey

The stump&nbsp;mic has revealed the ugly war of words between Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australian skipper Tim Paine on the third day of Perth Test on Sunday.

The match got spiced up on the third day when Virat Kohli completed his&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-virat-kohli-slams-25th-test-century-in-perth-test-184408">25th Test</a> hundred got India to 283 runs but&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-out-or-not-out-debate-over-virat-kohlis-wicket-is-on-184445">caught at second slip</a>&nbsp;after a controversial catch by Peter Handscomb.

Virat looked unhappy with the decision and tensions flared-up when Australia started batting in their second innings.

Both the captains,&nbsp;Virat Kohli and Tim Paine, kept exchanging words, which carried on until stumps.

The hosts finished 175 runs ahead on day three.

Virat was heard yelling at Paine,&nbsp;"If he messes it up, it's 2-0."

The chats were picked up by the microphone after he and his teammates made a loud caught-behind appeal for Paine in the final over of the day.&nbsp;

The Australian captain did not hold himself back and replied: "You've got to bat first, **** head".&nbsp;

Watch the video:

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
KOHLI : If u mess it up it's 2-0 
 
PAINE : You Got to Bat First D***Head 
 
Verbals from Skippers😂😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvsIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvsIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bjtx6VTT2B">pic.twitter.com/Bjtx6VTT2B</a>
— karthick shivaraman (@ISkarthi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISkarthi/status/1074292853742829569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The hosts star-spinner Nathan Lyon, however, played down the incident.

"I think Tim just asked him where he was going for dinner that's all. I've played enough cricket against Virat to know what he's like, and I'm not worried about what he's doing or what India's doing," said Lyon.&nbsp;

"Virat is a great player, he plays on emotion, we all know that, and to be honest I'm not too concerned how Virat reacts or the way he conducts himself. I'm just worried about what we can control in the Australian dressing room and I thought as bowlers we came out today and performed pretty well," he said.&nbsp;

Lyon said: "The wicket seems like it's starting to play a few more little tricks. We were expecting the cracks to play a little bit more, but with that rain yesterday it probably softened our ball up quite a fair bit. I know as bowlers the ball in cricket terms felt like it had no air left in it, so it lost a little bit of zip off the wicket.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"But we were pretty happy with the way we bowled and we know that come the second dig we can bowl much better than that. So we can take a few lessons off that first innings," he added.&nbsp;

The stump mic has revealed the ugly war of words between Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australian skipper Tim Paine on the third day of Perth Test on Sunday. The match got spiced up on the third day when Virat Kohli completed his 25th Test hundred got India to 283 runs but caught at second slip after a controversial catch by Peter Handscomb.

The stump mic has revealed the ugly war of words between Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australian skipper Tim Paine on the third day of Perth Test on Sunday. The match got spiced up on the third day when Virat Kohli completed his 25th Test hundred got India to 283 runs but caught at second slip after a controversial catch by Peter Handscomb. Virat looked unhappy with the decision and tensions flared-up when Australia started batting in their second innings. Both the captains, Virat Kohli and Tim Paine, kept exchanging words, which carried on until stumps. The hosts finished 175 runs ahead on day three. Virat was heard yelling at Paine, "If he messes it up, it's 2-0." The chats were picked up by the microphone after he and his teammates made a loud caught-behind appeal for Paine in the final over of the day. The Australian captain did not hold himself back and replied: "You've got to bat first, **** head". Watch the video: KOHLI : If u mess it up it's 2-0 PAINE : You Got to Bat First D***Head Verbals from Skippers😂😂#AUSvIND #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/Bjtx6VTT2B — karthick shivaraman (@ISkarthi) December 16, 2018 × The hosts star-spinner Nathan Lyon, however, played down the incident. "I think Tim just asked him where he was going for dinner that's all. I've played enough cricket against Virat to know what he's like, and I'm not worried about what he's doing or what India's doing," said Lyon. "Virat is a great player, he plays on emotion, we all know that, and to be honest I'm not too concerned how Virat reacts or the way he conducts himself. I'm just worried about what we can control in the Australian dressing room and I thought as bowlers we came out today and performed pretty well," he said. Lyon said: "The wicket seems like it's starting to play a few more little tricks. We were expecting the cracks to play a little bit more, but with that rain yesterday it probably softened our ball up quite a fair bit. I know as bowlers the ball in cricket terms felt like it had no air left in it, so it lost a little bit of zip off the wicket. "But we were pretty happy with the way we bowled and we know that come the second dig we can bowl much better than that. So we can take a few lessons off that first innings," he added.

Watch: Stump mic reveals ugly on-pitch chats between Kohli and Paine in Perth Test

The onfield verbal duel between rival captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine has been one of the talking points of the second Test here but Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood Monday played it down, saying it was done in good spirits.

During the 71st over of the Australia innings bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney warned both the players.

But, Hazlewood cautioned against reading too much in the exchange of words between Kohli and Paine.

"I think it was all good fun, it's quite competitive out there as you know and there's going to be words from time to time but it was all in good spirits," Hazlewood said.

"I don't think we read too much into it, we go about our work as we see fit and the Indians can do what they like. We control what we control and our behaviour is what we control. We'll worry about that and let everything else take care of itself."

It worked out well for Australia in the end as Kohli was dismissed for 17 in the second innings as India crashed to 55-4 in their chase. But, Hazlewood said Australia were not targeting a single batsman.&nbsp;

"No definitely not. I probably see (Cheteshwar) Pujara as the big wicket as far as when I'm bowling, the glue that holds them together I think. He's batted the most balls this series and scored nearly the most runs.&nbsp;

"I see Pujara as a big wicket and Ajinkya Rahane as well. So the nos. 3, 4, 5 as the key wickets and we see it a bit unstable in the other parts of the order. Certainly not all the focus is on Virat Kohli," he said.

Australia were on course for a series-levelling win after reducing India to 112-5 at stumps on day four, but Hazlewood said there were still some work to do for them for another home victory.

"I didn't go to the UAE, so it feels a bit of a long time between wins, but there's still a lot of work to do tomorrow. Anytime I'm playing in Australia we feel pretty confident, especially the bowlers feel very confident in getting 20 wickets and a result," he said.&nbsp;

"Last year, we got there four times out of five, so we are feeling pretty confident. It's just putting that into practice more often than not this summer," he added.

Usman Khawaja anchored the Australia innings by scoring 72 and adding 72 runs with Paine for the sixth wicket as Australia scored 243 runs in their second innings, despite Mohammed Shami taking 6/56.

"With Steve (Smith) and Dave (Warner) not here, a bit more pressure falls on Usman. I think he's the most capped batsman with Shaun Marsh. Experience counts a lot in these situations and there are quite a lot of young guys in top six. Usman felt that responsibility a bit more this season and he's been struggling the first couple of innings but to see him fight today made everyone a bit more relaxed," the pacer said.

"Tim Paine keeps things quite calm and composed and he doesn't get too flustered at any stages really and you could see that with the bat today, the way he batted and he was pretty unlucky to get that one today. In the field he leads very well, nice and calm."

Hazlewood said Paine was getting more confident as a leader, whether with the bat or in the field.&nbsp;

"He's quite an experienced player, and I think he's had time out of the game as well, so he knows himself quite well, not just as a cricketer but as a person. So off the field he's great to talk to about life, and the cricket side takes care of itself. He's been really great," he signed off.&nbsp;

The onfield verbal duel between rival captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine has been one of the talking points of the second Test here but Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood Monday played it down, saying it was done in good spirits.

The onfield verbal duel between rival captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine has been one of the talking points of the second Test here but Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood Monday played it down, saying it was done in good spirits. During the 71st over of the Australia innings bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney warned both the players. But, Hazlewood cautioned against reading too much in the exchange of words between Kohli and Paine. "I think it was all good fun, it's quite competitive out there as you know and there's going to be words from time to time but it was all in good spirits," Hazlewood said. "I don't think we read too much into it, we go about our work as we see fit and the Indians can do what they like. We control what we control and our behaviour is what we control. We'll worry about that and let everything else take care of itself." It worked out well for Australia in the end as Kohli was dismissed for 17 in the second innings as India crashed to 55-4 in their chase. But, Hazlewood said Australia were not targeting a single batsman. "No definitely not. I probably see (Cheteshwar) Pujara as the big wicket as far as when I'm bowling, the glue that holds them together I think. He's batted the most balls this series and scored nearly the most runs. "I see Pujara as a big wicket and Ajinkya Rahane as well. So the nos. 3, 4, 5 as the key wickets and we see it a bit unstable in the other parts of the order. Certainly not all the focus is on Virat Kohli," he said. Australia were on course for a series-levelling win after reducing India to 112-5 at stumps on day four, but Hazlewood said there were still some work to do for them for another home victory. "I didn't go to the UAE, so it feels a bit of a long time between wins, but there's still a lot of work to do tomorrow. Anytime I'm playing in Australia we feel pretty confident, especially the bowlers feel very confident in getting 20 wickets and a result," he said. "Last year, we got there four times out of five, so we are feeling pretty confident. It's just putting that into practice more often than not this summer," he added. Usman Khawaja anchored the Australia innings by scoring 72 and adding 72 runs with Paine for the sixth wicket as Australia scored 243 runs in their second innings, despite Mohammed Shami taking 6/56. "With Steve (Smith) and Dave (Warner) not here, a bit more pressure falls on Usman. I think he's the most capped batsman with Shaun Marsh. Experience counts a lot in these situations and there are quite a lot of young guys in top six. Usman felt that responsibility a bit more this season and he's been struggling the first couple of innings but to see him fight today made everyone a bit more relaxed," the pacer said. "Tim Paine keeps things quite calm and composed and he doesn't get too flustered at any stages really and you could see that with the bat today, the way he batted and he was pretty unlucky to get that one today. In the field he leads very well, nice and calm." Hazlewood said Paine was getting more confident as a leader, whether with the bat or in the field. "He's quite an experienced player, and I think he's had time out of the game as well, so he knows himself quite well, not just as a cricketer but as a person. So off the field he's great to talk to about life, and the cricket side takes care of itself. He's been really great," he signed off.

Verbal duel between Kohli and Paine done in good spirits: Australian pacer Hazlewood

Australia need five wickets in the second test to secure a series-levelling victory with India's daunting run chase on a menacing pitch teetering at stumps on day four on Monday.

Chasing 287 runs after bowling out Australia’s second innings for 243, India reached the close at 112 for five with Hanuma Vihari 24 not out and Rishabh Pant unbeaten on nine.

Struggling on the Perth Stadium pitch marked by widening cracks, India made a poor start losing the key wickets of Lokesh Rahul for a fourth-ball duck and Cheteshwar Pujara, India’s first test hero in Adelaide, for four.

India’s faint hopes rested on captain Virat Kohli who counter-attacked with several flowing drives in reminiscent fashion to his masterful first innings of 123.

Kohli combined with opener Murali Vijay to stabilise India before he edged a straight Nathan Lyon delivery to Usman Khawaja at slip for 17, sparking scenes of jubilation from the Australian players.

The off-spinner claimed the India talisman for a record seventh time, the most by a bowler, and in his next over bowled Vijay for 20 off an inside edge.

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Lyon and Hazlewood strike in the final session of day four to put Australia in a strong position to level the series in Perth. India are 112/5 at stumps, needing 175 runs on the final day to claim victory.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> scorecard ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/viG01Bpvlc">https://t.co/viG01Bpvlc</a> <a href="https://t.co/edmRkR9Mqr">pic.twitter.com/edmRkR9Mqr</a>
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Lyon continued his stranglehold over India, continually troubling the batsmen by targeting the expansive rough patches.

Ajinkya Rahane played his strokes and combined well with Vihari before the India vice-captain fell just before stumps, slashing a Josh Hazlewood delivery straight to point for 30.

The bowling onslaught has Australia on the cusp of snapping a barren six-test run without a win and providing skipper Tim Paine with his first triumph as captain.

Australia's bowlers regained firm control of the match after their batsmen had crumbled against quick Mohammed Shami in the middle session.

After a wicketless morning session, India came alive through blistering short-pitched bowling from Shami, who made the ball steeple off the deteriorating wicket to finish with a career-best 6-56.

Australia spectacularly lost four wickets for six runs starting with Paine (37) falling to a vicious short ball from Shami, which spat off the pitch hitting the glove and ballooned to slip.

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Australia pick two quick wickets, and India are 15/2 at Tea. Starc &amp; Hazlewood pick one wicket each. Kohli 0*, Vijay 6* <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/eKdq5ELmIw">pic.twitter.com/eKdq5ELmIw</a>
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Shami was on a hat-trick when he had Aaron Finch caught behind down the leg-side in a fleeting resumption for the opener.

Finch retired hurt on day three on 25 after being struck on the glove by a searing short ball from Shami but X-Rays cleared him of serious injury to his right index finger.

Shami was denied the hat-trick but soon claimed his fifth wicket with another menacing bouncer that caught Khawaja's glove to be caught behind for 72.

Australia's lead was 250 before Hazlewood (17 not out) and Mitchell Starc (14) added an invaluable 36 runs for the last wicket.

The pyrotechnics contrasted a sedate morning session dominated by Australia, who grabbed control of a fluctuating match with Khawaja and Paine batting through to lunch.

Australia need five wickets in the second test to secure a series-levelling victory with India's daunting run chase on a menacing pitch teetering at stumps on day four on Monday.

Australia need five wickets in the second test to secure a series-levelling victory with India's daunting run chase on a menacing pitch teetering at stumps on day four on Monday. Chasing 287 runs after bowling out Australia’s second innings for 243, India reached the close at 112 for five with Hanuma Vihari 24 not out and Rishabh Pant unbeaten on nine. Struggling on the Perth Stadium pitch marked by widening cracks, India made a poor start losing the key wickets of Lokesh Rahul for a fourth-ball duck and Cheteshwar Pujara, India’s first test hero in Adelaide, for four. India’s faint hopes rested on captain Virat Kohli who counter-attacked with several flowing drives in reminiscent fashion to his masterful first innings of 123. Kohli combined with opener Murali Vijay to stabilise India before he edged a straight Nathan Lyon delivery to Usman Khawaja at slip for 17, sparking scenes of jubilation from the Australian players. The off-spinner claimed the India talisman for a record seventh time, the most by a bowler, and in his next over bowled Vijay for 20 off an inside edge. Lyon and Hazlewood strike in the final session of day four to put Australia in a strong position to level the series in Perth. India are 112/5 at stumps, needing 175 runs on the final day to claim victory.#AUSvIND scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/viG01Bpvlc pic.twitter.com/edmRkR9Mqr — ICC (@ICC) December 17, 2018 × Lyon continued his stranglehold over India, continually troubling the batsmen by targeting the expansive rough patches. Ajinkya Rahane played his strokes and combined well with Vihari before the India vice-captain fell just before stumps, slashing a Josh Hazlewood delivery straight to point for 30. The bowling onslaught has Australia on the cusp of snapping a barren six-test run without a win and providing skipper Tim Paine with his first triumph as captain. Australia's bowlers regained firm control of the match after their batsmen had crumbled against quick Mohammed Shami in the middle session. After a wicketless morning session, India came alive through blistering short-pitched bowling from Shami, who made the ball steeple off the deteriorating wicket to finish with a career-best 6-56. Australia spectacularly lost four wickets for six runs starting with Paine (37) falling to a vicious short ball from Shami, which spat off the pitch hitting the glove and ballooned to slip. Australia pick two quick wickets, and India are 15/2 at Tea. Starc & Hazlewood pick one wicket each. Kohli 0*, Vijay 6* #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/eKdq5ELmIw — BCCI (@BCCI) December 17, 2018 × Shami was on a hat-trick when he had Aaron Finch caught behind down the leg-side in a fleeting resumption for the opener. Finch retired hurt on day three on 25 after being struck on the glove by a searing short ball from Shami but X-Rays cleared him of serious injury to his right index finger. Shami was denied the hat-trick but soon claimed his fifth wicket with another menacing bouncer that caught Khawaja's glove to be caught behind for 72. Australia's lead was 250 before Hazlewood (17 not out) and Mitchell Starc (14) added an invaluable 36 runs for the last wicket. The pyrotechnics contrasted a sedate morning session dominated by Australia, who grabbed control of a fluctuating match with Khawaja and Paine batting through to lunch.

India vs Australia, 2nd Test, Day 4: Australia five wickets away from winning

Australian skipper Tim Paine has been involved in a war of words with Indian counterpart Virat Kohli and there seems to be no end in sight.

After the umpire intervened and separated the two when Paine was batting, the Australian, when fielding, turned to Murali Vijay taking a jibe at the Indian captain.&nbsp;

"I know he's your captain but you can't seriously like him as a bloke," a tweet quoted Paine as telling Murali Vijay about Virat Kohli.

The Kohli-Paine war of words began on Day 3 after the visitors went for a huge caught-behind appeal in the final over of the day.&nbsp;

The stump microphones picked up Virat Kohli saying, "if he messes it up, it's 2-0," while referring to the Test series lead. Tim Paine promptly replied: "You've got to bat first, big head".

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More cheeky banter caught on the TV stump mic! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/pDbuJIfJJI">pic.twitter.com/pDbuJIfJJI</a>
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The argument continued on Day 4 and umpire Chris Gaffaney had to intervene as Virat Kohli and Paine got involved in another argument.

Chasing 287 runs after bowling out Australia’s second innings for 243, India reached the close at 112 for five with Hanuma Vihari 24 not out and Rishabh Pant unbeaten on nine.

Australian skipper Tim Paine has been involved in a war of words with Indian counterpart Virat Kohli and there seems to be no end in sight. After the umpire intervened and separated the two when Paine was batting, the Australian, when fielding, turned to Murali Vijay taking a jibe at the Indian captain.

Australian skipper Tim Paine has been involved in a war of words with Indian counterpart Virat Kohli and there seems to be no end in sight. After the umpire intervened and separated the two when Paine was batting, the Australian, when fielding, turned to Murali Vijay taking a jibe at the Indian captain. "I know he's your captain but you can't seriously like him as a bloke," a tweet quoted Paine as telling Murali Vijay about Virat Kohli. The Kohli-Paine war of words began on Day 3 after the visitors went for a huge caught-behind appeal in the final over of the day. The stump microphones picked up Virat Kohli saying, "if he messes it up, it's 2-0," while referring to the Test series lead. Tim Paine promptly replied: "You've got to bat first, big head". More cheeky banter caught on the TV stump mic! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/pDbuJIfJJI — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2018 × The argument continued on Day 4 and umpire Chris Gaffaney had to intervene as Virat Kohli and Paine got involved in another argument. Chasing 287 runs after bowling out Australia’s second innings for 243, India reached the close at 112 for five with Hanuma Vihari 24 not out and Rishabh Pant unbeaten on nine.

'You can't like Virat Kohli as a man: Paine caught saying to Murali Vijay on stump mic

Mohammed Shami took a five-wicket haul as&nbsp;Australia were all out for 243 in the middle session on the fourth day on Monday in Perth Test.&nbsp;

Shami picked up a career-best 6-56 as the hosts lost six wickets for 51 runs before a 36-run last-wicket partnership between Mitchell Starc (14) and Josh Hazlewood (17 not out) boosted their tally.&nbsp;

Usman Khawaja top-scored for Australia with 72, while Aaron Finch (25) was dismissed on the first ball by Shami on the resumption of his innings after retiring hurt on day three.

At lunch on the fourth day, the home side were 190 for four in their second innings, an overall advantage of 233 runs.

But lost quick wickets just after returning from lunch break.

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Six-wicket haul and career-best figures for Mohammed Shami! 👏 
 
He adds the scalp of Lyon to his list to trigger Australia's collapse after lunch. He has 6/41 for now – his best figures. 
 
Australia 207/9, a lead of 250. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> LIVE 
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India lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Adelaide.

The scoreboard at the end of Australia's second innings:

Australia 1st innings 326 (M. Harris 70, T. Head 58; Sharma 4-41)

India 1st innings 283 (V Kohli 123, A Rahane 51; Lyon 5-67)

Australia 2nd innings (overnight 132-4)

M. Harris b Bumrah &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20

A. Finch c Pant b Shami &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;25

U. Khawaja c Pant b Shami &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;72

S. Marsh c Pant b Shami &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5

P. Handscomb lbw Sharma &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13

T. Head c Sharma b Shami &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19

T. Paine&nbsp;c Kohli b Shami &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;37

P. Cummins b Bumrah &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1

M. Starc b Bumrah &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14

N. Lyon c Vihari b Shami &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5

J. Hazlewood not out &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17

Extras (b8, lb3, w4) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15

Total (all out, 93.2 overs) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;243

Fall of wickets: 1-59 (Harris), 2-64 (Marsh), 3-85 (Handscomb), 4-120 (Head), 5-192 (Paine), 6-192 (Finch), 7-198 (Khawaja), 8-198 (Cummins), 9-207 (Lyon), 10-243 (Starc)

Bowling: Sharma 16-1-45-1, Bumrah 25.2-10-39-3, Shami 24-8-56-6 (2w), Yadav 14-0-61-0 (2w), Vihari 14-4-31-0

Mohammed Shami took a five-wicket haul as Australia were all out for 243 in the middle session on the fourth day on Monday in Perth Test. Shami picked up a career-best 6-56 as the hosts lost six wickets for 51 runs before a 36-run last-wicket partnership between Mitchell Starc (14) and Josh Hazlewood (17 not out) boosted their tally.

Mohammed Shami took a five-wicket haul as Australia were all out for 243 in the middle session on the fourth day on Monday in Perth Test. Shami picked up a career-best 6-56 as the hosts lost six wickets for 51 runs before a 36-run last-wicket partnership between Mitchell Starc (14) and Josh Hazlewood (17 not out) boosted their tally. Usman Khawaja top-scored for Australia with 72, while Aaron Finch (25) was dismissed on the first ball by Shami on the resumption of his innings after retiring hurt on day three. At lunch on the fourth day, the home side were 190 for four in their second innings, an overall advantage of 233 runs. But lost quick wickets just after returning from lunch break. Six-wicket haul and career-best figures for Mohammed Shami! 👏 He adds the scalp of Lyon to his list to trigger Australia's collapse after lunch. He has 6/41 for now – his best figures. Australia 207/9, a lead of 250. #AUSvIND LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/viG01Bpvlc pic.twitter.com/iyo0AyIT2c — ICC (@ICC) December 17, 2018 × India lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Adelaide. The scoreboard at the end of Australia's second innings: Australia 1st innings 326 (M. Harris 70, T. Head 58; Sharma 4-41) India 1st innings 283 (V Kohli 123, A Rahane 51; Lyon 5-67) Australia 2nd innings (overnight 132-4) M. Harris b Bumrah 20 A. Finch c Pant b Shami 25 U. Khawaja c Pant b Shami 72 S. Marsh c Pant b Shami 5 P. Handscomb lbw Sharma 13 T. Head c Sharma b Shami 19 T. Paine c Kohli b Shami 37 P. Cummins b Bumrah 1 M. Starc b Bumrah 14 N. Lyon c Vihari b Shami 5 J. Hazlewood not out 17 Extras (b8, lb3, w4) 15 Total (all out, 93.2 overs) 243 Fall of wickets: 1-59 (Harris), 2-64 (Marsh), 3-85 (Handscomb), 4-120 (Head), 5-192 (Paine), 6-192 (Finch), 7-198 (Khawaja), 8-198 (Cummins), 9-207 (Lyon), 10-243 (Starc) Bowling: Sharma 16-1-45-1, Bumrah 25.2-10-39-3, Shami 24-8-56-6 (2w), Yadav 14-0-61-0 (2w), Vihari 14-4-31-0

INDvsAUS: Australia all out for 243, India need 287 to win Perth Test

India and Australia will play their second Test match of a four-match series at the brand new in Perth's Optus Stadium, which has a drop-in pitch.&nbsp;

Perth Stadium, which has a sitting capacity of 60,000, has succeeded the WACA as the city's premier venue for internationals.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-2nd-test-day-1-india-vs-australia-183864">All actions from India vs Australia second Test</a>

A drop-in pitch is a pitch that is prepared away from the ground or venue in which it is used, and "dropped" into place for a match to take place.&nbsp;

This allows multi-purpose venues to host other sports and events with more versatility than a dedicated cricket ground would allow.&nbsp;

Pitch's curator Brett Sipthorpe is trying to produce the 'bounciest' pitch he can and that could very well work in India's favour.&nbsp;

Weighing around 30 tons, the depth of a drop-in pitch is 20-cm. It is maintained and prepared in a steel frame.

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Perth - We are here! 😎👍🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/AHeGmgKVVQ">pic.twitter.com/AHeGmgKVVQ</a>
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Not everyone is a drop-in fan. Purists warn such pitches -- which some grounds now favour so they can host multiple sports -- remove the characteristics of different fields that made matches more unpredictable, and therefore exciting.

"With the drop-in pitch, there's more of the sameness about things from city to city, and place to place," Australian cricket historian Bernard Whimpress told AFP.

"Which makes me sort of think, why don't they just forget about the drop-in pitch and put in artificial turf or something."

India and Australia will play their second Test match of a four-match series at the brand new in Perth's Optus Stadium, which has a drop-in pitch. Perth Stadium, which has a sitting capacity of 60,000, has succeeded the WACA as the city's premier venue for internationals.

India and Australia will play their second Test match of a four-match series at the brand new in Perth's Optus Stadium, which has a drop-in pitch. Perth Stadium, which has a sitting capacity of 60,000, has succeeded the WACA as the city's premier venue for internationals. Also Read: All actions from India vs Australia second Test A drop-in pitch is a pitch that is prepared away from the ground or venue in which it is used, and "dropped" into place for a match to take place. This allows multi-purpose venues to host other sports and events with more versatility than a dedicated cricket ground would allow. Pitch's curator Brett Sipthorpe is trying to produce the 'bounciest' pitch he can and that could very well work in India's favour. Weighing around 30 tons, the depth of a drop-in pitch is 20-cm. It is maintained and prepared in a steel frame. Perth - We are here! 😎👍🏻 #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/AHeGmgKVVQ — BCCI (@BCCI) December 13, 2018 × Not everyone is a drop-in fan. Purists warn such pitches -- which some grounds now favour so they can host multiple sports -- remove the characteristics of different fields that made matches more unpredictable, and therefore exciting. "With the drop-in pitch, there's more of the sameness about things from city to city, and place to place," Australian cricket historian Bernard Whimpress told AFP. "Which makes me sort of think, why don't they just forget about the drop-in pitch and put in artificial turf or something."

India vs Australia, 2nd Test: All you need to know about Perth's drop-in pitch

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has said his team is "more excited than nervous" by the lively&nbsp;Perth pitch&nbsp;as the team&nbsp;held its final training sessions on Thursday before the second Test <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-2018-19-schedule-teams-time-and-venue-177740">against Australia</a>.&nbsp;

"We certainly get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now because we understand that we do have a bowling attack which can, you know, bowl the opposition out. As much as they are convinced about their attack," Reuters quoted Kohli as saying at the pre-match press conference.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-second-test-tim-paine-fit-aussies-unchanged-for-perth-test-183713">Tim Paine fit, Aussies unchanged for Perth Test</a>

Kohli told the media that the days when the Indians walked out on to a fiery track with fear were long gone.&nbsp;

"It's a very exciting phase to be in but something that we need to build on. As I said, we cannot be complacent or satisfied with one win. We have to keep repeating good things to be able to win series."&nbsp;

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An exciting contest awaits at Perth with a lot on offer for the quicks 🔥🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/k3Y7CQ8DQF">pic.twitter.com/k3Y7CQ8DQF</a>
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Kohli said he thought both sides had an equal chance of winning the Test, as Indian batsman Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were ruled out of the second Test against Australia by injury.&nbsp;

"We are definitely confident of the percentage of chances that we have and we want to build on that."&nbsp;

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Perth - We are here! 😎👍🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/AHeGmgKVVQ">pic.twitter.com/AHeGmgKVVQ</a>
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"Obviously, Australia is going to be a strong team at their home conditions and on a wicket like Perth which probably offers you more than other pitches in Australia but as I said, we have an equal chance in the game."&nbsp;

Australia have kept their team unchanged, with Australia team Captain Tim Paine declaring himself fit and ready. Paine suffered a finger injury in the series-opening loss to India when he was struck on the glove by a short Mohammed Shami ball on the final day of play in Adelaide.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has said his team is "more excited than nervous" by the lively Perth pitch as the team held its final training sessions on Thursday before the second Test against Australia.

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has said his team is "more excited than nervous" by the lively Perth pitch as the team held its final training sessions on Thursday before the second Test against Australia. "We certainly get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now because we understand that we do have a bowling attack which can, you know, bowl the opposition out. As much as they are convinced about their attack," Reuters quoted Kohli as saying at the pre-match press conference. Also Read: Tim Paine fit, Aussies unchanged for Perth Test Kohli told the media that the days when the Indians walked out on to a fiery track with fear were long gone. "It's a very exciting phase to be in but something that we need to build on. As I said, we cannot be complacent or satisfied with one win. We have to keep repeating good things to be able to win series." An exciting contest awaits at Perth with a lot on offer for the quicks 🔥🔥 #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/k3Y7CQ8DQF — BCCI (@BCCI) December 13, 2018 × Kohli said he thought both sides had an equal chance of winning the Test, as Indian batsman Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were ruled out of the second Test against Australia by injury. "We are definitely confident of the percentage of chances that we have and we want to build on that." Perth - We are here! 😎👍🏻 #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/AHeGmgKVVQ — BCCI (@BCCI) December 13, 2018 × "Obviously, Australia is going to be a strong team at their home conditions and on a wicket like Perth which probably offers you more than other pitches in Australia but as I said, we have an equal chance in the game." Australia have kept their team unchanged, with Australia team Captain Tim Paine declaring himself fit and ready. Paine suffered a finger injury in the series-opening loss to India when he was struck on the glove by a short Mohammed Shami ball on the final day of play in Adelaide. (With inputs from Reuters)

Time when India approached lively pitches with fear gone: Kohli before Perth Test

Australia skipper Tim Paine declared himself fit and ready to go for the second Test against India on Thursday, with the hosts naming an unchanged side for the Perth Stadium clash.

Paine suffered a finger injury in the series-opening loss to India in Adelaide but the 34-year-old wicketkeeper confirmed he would line up in an unchanged batting order when the match starts on Friday.

"Yeah, no I'm fine. I've got a few niggles everywhere but I'm not alone there, I don't think, at my age. Finger is fine, yeah," Paine told a news conference.

Paceman Mitchell Starc retains his place in the side despite what was perceived to be a sub-par performance in Adelaide, and will be looking for a strong performance in conditions which are expected to favour his skills at the new Perth Stadium.

"Starcy's been good for us. I thought the criticism he got this week's been pretty unfair to be honest," Paine said of the left-arm quick, who took five for 103 in the first Test.

"Barring two or three overs where he got his radar wrong, I think he's bowled pretty well. We know his best is the best so we're pretty pumped to have him in our team."

Aaron Finch also keeps his place at the top of the order despite mustering only 11 runs in his two innings in the first of four Tests in the series.

"He just needs that one big score at Test level to give him that confidence he has at international level in T20s and ODIs," Paine added.

Australia, still without Steve Smith and David Warner after they were banned for their part in March's ball-tampering scandal, have never lost a Test series at home to India.

Australia team: Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Tim Paine (captain), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

Australia skipper Tim Paine declared himself fit and ready to go for the second Test against India on Thursday, with the hosts naming an unchanged side for the Perth Stadium clash.

Australia skipper Tim Paine declared himself fit and ready to go for the second Test against India on Thursday, with the hosts naming an unchanged side for the Perth Stadium clash. Paine suffered a finger injury in the series-opening loss to India in Adelaide but the 34-year-old wicketkeeper confirmed he would line up in an unchanged batting order when the match starts on Friday. "Yeah, no I'm fine. I've got a few niggles everywhere but I'm not alone there, I don't think, at my age. Finger is fine, yeah," Paine told a news conference. Paceman Mitchell Starc retains his place in the side despite what was perceived to be a sub-par performance in Adelaide, and will be looking for a strong performance in conditions which are expected to favour his skills at the new Perth Stadium. "Starcy's been good for us. I thought the criticism he got this week's been pretty unfair to be honest," Paine said of the left-arm quick, who took five for 103 in the first Test. "Barring two or three overs where he got his radar wrong, I think he's bowled pretty well. We know his best is the best so we're pretty pumped to have him in our team." Aaron Finch also keeps his place at the top of the order despite mustering only 11 runs in his two innings in the first of four Tests in the series. "He just needs that one big score at Test level to give him that confidence he has at international level in T20s and ODIs," Paine added. Australia, still without Steve Smith and David Warner after they were banned for their part in March's ball-tampering scandal, have never lost a Test series at home to India. Australia team: Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Tim Paine (captain), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

India vs Australia, second Test: Tim Paine fit, Aussies unchanged for Perth Test

Australia Test skipper Tim Paine has questioned the decision review system, saying it has been "frustrating" to deal with the technology that is "not a perfect system".

Australia endured some frustrating moments during their 31-run loss to India in the first Test when a few decisions went against the hosts after reviewing the umpires calls.

Umpire Nigel Llong had given Ajinkya Rahane out caught at bat-pad for 17 early on Sunday but the decision was overturned on review when replays indicated that the ball had hit the batsman's front pad outside the line of off stump and missed his bat and gloves.

Similarly, Cheteshwar Pujara, who had scored a gritty 123 in the first innings, was adjudged out on eight and 17 to Lyon on Saturday but the dismissals were overturned.

Replays found no contact with bat or gloves in his first dismissal and the second one was overruled as ball tracking suggested that the ball would have gone over the bails.

"Look, it's (DRS) not a perfect system and I haven't got the answers. It's just frustrating, I'd imagine it's frustrating for everyone. But it is what it is," Paine was quoted as saying in the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

The Australian skipper initially said the calls had been "interesting," then when later asked why DRS was interesting, he said: "I think everything. I don't want to talk about DRS. It's just - it is what it is.

"A lot of balls seem to be going over the top of the stumps, I know that, that live don't look like they are. So yeah, it is what it is."

In Australia's second innings, Aaron Finch was caught in close to off-spinner R Ashwin but he didn't use the DRS after consulting partner Marcus Harris.

Reviews suggested that the ball had not touched the gloves and later third umpire Chris Gaffaney informed Nathan Lyon there was not enough evidence to overturn the decision.

Paine said: "It's one of those things. You can't do much about it. We've been told Aaron's, for instance, would still not have been overturned. Yeah, the DRS is interesting.

"It's a bit different when the batters are out there, it's up to those two, isn't it? Aaron felt something on his glove, it ended up being his pad, that can happen.

"From a bowling and in-the-field perspective, we've got a process we go through with myself and the bowler. Nathan Lyon's at point a lot, he gives us an indication of height. You have to take everyone's piece of information and make good decisions. We got a couple wrong but that can happen."

Former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was against the usage of DRS in Tests and India avoided the technology for eight years after its introduction in Test cricket in 2008.

But after Virat Kohli became the captain, India agreed to the use of DRS in 2016.&nbsp;

Paine also backed pacer Mitchell Starc to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/perth-will-suit-australia-more-than-india-ponting-183122">rediscover his best in the bouncy tracks of Perth in the second Test</a> after the opening Test where he didn't look menacing despite taking five wickets.

"When Starcy's on song, there is no better bowler in the world, particularly with the new ball," Paine told cricket.Com.Au.

"In Perth, the conditions will suit him down to the ground ... From what I am hearing, the wicket is going to be really fast so he'll be a handful."

Paine admitted Starc was not at his best at Adelaide but acknowledged his role in the team.

"He didn't set the world on fire but I think, for a long time, there's been a really big gap between Starcy's best and his worst," Paine said.

"And from what I'm seeing, that is getting closer and closer every day. Was he at his best? Probably not. But I still thought he played his role."

Australia Test skipper Tim Paine has questioned the decision review system, saying it has been "frustrating" to deal with the technology that is "not a perfect system".

Australia Test skipper Tim Paine has questioned the decision review system, saying it has been "frustrating" to deal with the technology that is "not a perfect system". Australia endured some frustrating moments during their 31-run loss to India in the first Test when a few decisions went against the hosts after reviewing the umpires calls. Umpire Nigel Llong had given Ajinkya Rahane out caught at bat-pad for 17 early on Sunday but the decision was overturned on review when replays indicated that the ball had hit the batsman's front pad outside the line of off stump and missed his bat and gloves. Similarly, Cheteshwar Pujara, who had scored a gritty 123 in the first innings, was adjudged out on eight and 17 to Lyon on Saturday but the dismissals were overturned. Replays found no contact with bat or gloves in his first dismissal and the second one was overruled as ball tracking suggested that the ball would have gone over the bails. "Look, it's (DRS) not a perfect system and I haven't got the answers. It's just frustrating, I'd imagine it's frustrating for everyone. But it is what it is," Paine was quoted as saying in the 'Sydney Morning Herald'. The Australian skipper initially said the calls had been "interesting," then when later asked why DRS was interesting, he said: "I think everything. I don't want to talk about DRS. It's just - it is what it is. "A lot of balls seem to be going over the top of the stumps, I know that, that live don't look like they are. So yeah, it is what it is." In Australia's second innings, Aaron Finch was caught in close to off-spinner R Ashwin but he didn't use the DRS after consulting partner Marcus Harris. Reviews suggested that the ball had not touched the gloves and later third umpire Chris Gaffaney informed Nathan Lyon there was not enough evidence to overturn the decision. Paine said: "It's one of those things. You can't do much about it. We've been told Aaron's, for instance, would still not have been overturned. Yeah, the DRS is interesting. "It's a bit different when the batters are out there, it's up to those two, isn't it? Aaron felt something on his glove, it ended up being his pad, that can happen. "From a bowling and in-the-field perspective, we've got a process we go through with myself and the bowler. Nathan Lyon's at point a lot, he gives us an indication of height. You have to take everyone's piece of information and make good decisions. We got a couple wrong but that can happen." Former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was against the usage of DRS in Tests and India avoided the technology for eight years after its introduction in Test cricket in 2008. But after Virat Kohli became the captain, India agreed to the use of DRS in 2016. Paine also backed pacer Mitchell Starc to rediscover his best in the bouncy tracks of Perth in the second Test after the opening Test where he didn't look menacing despite taking five wickets. "When Starcy's on song, there is no better bowler in the world, particularly with the new ball," Paine told cricket.Com.Au. "In Perth, the conditions will suit him down to the ground ... From what I am hearing, the wicket is going to be really fast so he'll be a handful." Paine admitted Starc was not at his best at Adelaide but acknowledged his role in the team. "He didn't set the world on fire but I think, for a long time, there's been a really big gap between Starcy's best and his worst," Paine said. "And from what I'm seeing, that is getting closer and closer every day. Was he at his best? Probably not. But I still thought he played his role."

It is frustrating, it's not perfect system: Australia Test captain on DRS

Australia lost just two wickets to finish 186 for the loss of six wickets at lunch.&nbsp;

Earlier, Australian batsman Shaun Marsh and skipper Tim Paine were battling hard on the fifth and final day of the first test match at Adelaide Oval on Monday, before Bumrah broke Marsh's resistance at 60.&nbsp;

On day 4, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and paceman Mohammed Shami combined to tear through Australia's top order and bring India in a commanding position.&nbsp;

Shaun Marsh was 31 not out and Travis Head on 11, the pair fighting a desperate rearguard action to nudge Australia to 104 for four at stumps on day four, still 219 runs short of their victory target of 323.

Australia will need to defy history to chase down the total and survive the wiles of Ashwin on a fifth-day pitch.

The highest successful run chase was in 1902, when the hosts scored 315 for six to beat England.

Australia lost just two wickets to finish 186 for the loss of six wickets at lunch. Earlier, Australian batsman Shaun Marsh and skipper Tim Paine were battling hard on the fifth and final day of the first test match at Adelaide Oval on Monday, before Bumrah broke Marsh's resistance at 60.

Australia lost just two wickets to finish 186 for the loss of six wickets at lunch. Earlier, Australian batsman Shaun Marsh and skipper Tim Paine were battling hard on the fifth and final day of the first test match at Adelaide Oval on Monday, before Bumrah broke Marsh's resistance at 60. On day 4, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and paceman Mohammed Shami combined to tear through Australia's top order and bring India in a commanding position. Shaun Marsh was 31 not out and Travis Head on 11, the pair fighting a desperate rearguard action to nudge Australia to 104 for four at stumps on day four, still 219 runs short of their victory target of 323. Australia will need to defy history to chase down the total and survive the wiles of Ashwin on a fifth-day pitch. The highest successful run chase was in 1902, when the hosts scored 315 for six to beat England.

IND vs AUS: Australia 186/6 at lunch, need 137 runs more

India vs Australia, 1st Test: How spin & pace exposed Tim Paine's team

Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat against Australia in the first Test match of a four-match series on December 6 at Adelaide Oval.

After winning the toss, Virat said, "Runs on the board will be always handy in any condition. Every tour is an opportunity, it's always a difficult challenge in Australia."

Temperatures are expected to soar to 39 degrees Celsius, leaving a potentially tough day for Australia's seamers, who lack the support of dropped fast-bowling all rounder Mitchell Marsh.

Virat further added, "Taking nothing for granted, nothing lightly. We are looking forward to a challenging series, to measure ourselves against one of the best sides in the world."

"I love playing here in Adelaide, the wicket is good and the stadium is great."&nbsp;

Viratconfirmed that specialist batsman Rohit Sharma would take the number six spot vacated by the injured fast-bowling all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, with spin bowling all-rounder Hanuma Vihari missing out.

"Rohit Sharma will bat at six, he can bat well with tail, has the shots on these kinds of wickets, he's good with the short ball and can attack the bowlers," he said.

Tim Paine said, "We expect the batsmen to stand-up, we have good players who have done well domestically over the past five-six years"

Here is the playing XI:

India: Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.

Australia: Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Tim Paine(w/c), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat against Australia in the first Test match of a four-match series on December 6 at Adelaide Oval. After winning the toss, Virat said, "Runs on the board will be always handy in any condition.

Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat against Australia in the first Test match of a four-match series on December 6 at Adelaide Oval. After winning the toss, Virat said, "Runs on the board will be always handy in any condition. Every tour is an opportunity, it's always a difficult challenge in Australia." Temperatures are expected to soar to 39 degrees Celsius, leaving a potentially tough day for Australia's seamers, who lack the support of dropped fast-bowling all rounder Mitchell Marsh. Virat further added, "Taking nothing for granted, nothing lightly. We are looking forward to a challenging series, to measure ourselves against one of the best sides in the world." "I love playing here in Adelaide, the wicket is good and the stadium is great." Viratconfirmed that specialist batsman Rohit Sharma would take the number six spot vacated by the injured fast-bowling all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, with spin bowling all-rounder Hanuma Vihari missing out. "Rohit Sharma will bat at six, he can bat well with tail, has the shots on these kinds of wickets, he's good with the short ball and can attack the bowlers," he said. Tim Paine said, "We expect the batsmen to stand-up, we have good players who have done well domestically over the past five-six years" Here is the playing XI: India: Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami. Australia: Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Tim Paine(w/c), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

India vs Australia, 1st Test, Day 1: Virat Kohli opts to bat in Adelaide Test

Australia have dropped Test skipper Tim Paine from their one-day squad for next month's series against South Africa and named opening batsman Aaron Finch as captain in his place.

Finch, who led his country's Twenty20 side to an 11-run defeat to Pakistan in Dubai on Friday to go 2-0 down in the series, will be supported by twovice-captainss in Josh Hazlewood and Alex Carey, echoing the Test structure.

Carey replaces Tim Paine as wicketkeeper in&nbsp;the 14-man squad for the three-match series which begins in Perth on Nov. 4 and also includes matches in Adelaide and Hobart.

"We expect Aaron, Josh and Alex to lead the side through a big Australian summer ... they'll also be driving our standards and values as we prepare&nbsp;our defence of the World Cup, which is only seven months away," chief selector Trevor Hohns said in a news release.

"We believe the squad we have selected will give us a great opportunity to not only be competitive at home this summer, but it also allows us to start to build continuity leading into next year's tournament."

Hazlewood returns to action for his country along with fellow quick Pat Cummins after both skipped the Test series against Pakistan because of injury.

The third member of Australia's much-vaunted pace attack, Mitchell Starc, returns to white ball cricket after missing the series in England earlier this year and despite an injury scare during the Pakistan Test series.

Steve Smith and David Warner are still banned for their part in the ball-tampering scandal during the Test series against the Proteas in March, giving the batting line-up an unfamiliar feel.

Finch, Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis look set to be the first three names on the list with Shaun Marsh retained at number four despite his poor Test form.

Changes to the squad from the England tour include the inclusion of quick Nathan Coulter-Nile and top order batsman Chris Lynn, who will get a chance to earn his second ODI cap nearly two years after his first.

Mitchell Marsh, the Test vice-captain, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon were omitted from the squad but Hohns said they had been rested.

"We have made the decision to manage Mitch Marsh and Nathan Lyon carefully to ensure they are in the best condition possible to put their hand up for selection either later in the summer or for the World Cup next year," he said.

Squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Alex Carey (vice-captain), Josh Hazlewood (vice-captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Darcy Short, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australia have dropped Test skipper Tim Paine from their one-day squad for next month's series against South Africa and named opening batsman Aaron Finch as captain in his place.

Australia have dropped Test skipper Tim Paine from their one-day squad for next month's series against South Africa and named opening batsman Aaron Finch as captain in his place. Finch, who led his country's Twenty20 side to an 11-run defeat to Pakistan in Dubai on Friday to go 2-0 down in the series, will be supported by twovice-captainss in Josh Hazlewood and Alex Carey, echoing the Test structure. Carey replaces Tim Paine as wicketkeeper in the 14-man squad for the three-match series which begins in Perth on Nov. 4 and also includes matches in Adelaide and Hobart. "We expect Aaron, Josh and Alex to lead the side through a big Australian summer ... they'll also be driving our standards and values as we prepare our defence of the World Cup, which is only seven months away," chief selector Trevor Hohns said in a news release. "We believe the squad we have selected will give us a great opportunity to not only be competitive at home this summer, but it also allows us to start to build continuity leading into next year's tournament." Hazlewood returns to action for his country along with fellow quick Pat Cummins after both skipped the Test series against Pakistan because of injury. The third member of Australia's much-vaunted pace attack, Mitchell Starc, returns to white ball cricket after missing the series in England earlier this year and despite an injury scare during the Pakistan Test series. Steve Smith and David Warner are still banned for their part in the ball-tampering scandal during the Test series against the Proteas in March, giving the batting line-up an unfamiliar feel. Finch, Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis look set to be the first three names on the list with Shaun Marsh retained at number four despite his poor Test form. Changes to the squad from the England tour include the inclusion of quick Nathan Coulter-Nile and top order batsman Chris Lynn, who will get a chance to earn his second ODI cap nearly two years after his first. Mitchell Marsh, the Test vice-captain, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon were omitted from the squad but Hohns said they had been rested. "We have made the decision to manage Mitch Marsh and Nathan Lyon carefully to ensure they are in the best condition possible to put their hand up for selection either later in the summer or for the World Cup next year," he said. Squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Alex Carey (vice-captain), Josh Hazlewood (vice-captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Darcy Short, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australia drop Tim Paine, name Aaron Finch as ODI captain

Cricket Australia(CA) today announced a 15-man team to be captained by Tim Paine for ODI series against England starting next month.

D’Arcy Short has made it to the ODI squad for the first time with Lathan Lyon making a comeback after two years.

"England potentially have a number of left-handers in their side and we look forward to seeing what (Lyon) can produce with the white-ball in English conditions," said CA selector&nbsp;Trevor&nbsp;Hohns.

"A decision on a permanent one-day captain will be made in due course,"&nbsp;Hohns added.

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were not included due to injury, the selectors said.

"Tim is a strong leader and will captain the side for this series, supported by Aaron," selector Trevor Hohns said.

"We have selected a 15-player squad as we push forward in our preparations for the World Cup in England in 2019," he added.

Aaron Finch was named the T-20 captain with Alex Carey as vice-captain. &nbsp;Jack Wildermuth and Mitchell Swepson have made it into the squad for the first time.

Nic Maddinson has made a comeback into the T20 squad.

Australia will play five ODIs and a T20 match against England from June 13-27, before heading to Zimbabwe for a T20 tri-series series also involving&nbsp;Pakistan starting on July 1.

One-Day team:

Tim Paine, Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, &nbsp;Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.

T20 team:

Aaron Finch (c), &nbsp;Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.

Aaron Finch was named the T-20 captain with Alex Carey as vice-captain.

Cricket Australia(CA) today announced a 15-man team to be captained by Tim Paine for ODI series against England starting next month. D’Arcy Short has made it to the ODI squad for the first time with Lathan Lyon making a comeback after two years. "England potentially have a number of left-handers in their side and we look forward to seeing what (Lyon) can produce with the white-ball in English conditions," said CA selector Trevor Hohns. "A decision on a permanent one-day captain will be made in due course," Hohns added. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were not included due to injury, the selectors said. "Tim is a strong leader and will captain the side for this series, supported by Aaron," selector Trevor Hohns said. "We have selected a 15-player squad as we push forward in our preparations for the World Cup in England in 2019," he added. Aaron Finch was named the T-20 captain with Alex Carey as vice-captain. Jack Wildermuth and Mitchell Swepson have made it into the squad for the first time. Nic Maddinson has made a comeback into the T20 squad. Australia will play five ODIs and a T20 match against England from June 13-27, before heading to Zimbabwe for a T20 tri-series series also involving Pakistan starting on July 1. One-Day team: Tim Paine, Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye. T20 team: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.

Paine to lead Australia in ODI series against England; Finch named skipper in Zimbabwe T20 tri-series

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