Mitchell Starc is not putting his hand up for a rest ahead of the day-night fifth Ashes Test despite being Australia's only fast bowler to play all four matches this series.
Australia and England will resume hostilities in the final Ashes Test starting on Friday in Hobart with the hosts 3-0 up after the Sydney Test ended as a draw on Sunday.
Starc has impressed during this series with 15 wickets from four matches, behind only spinner Nathan Lyon (16), at an average of 26.6. He has also been commendable with the bat, contributing 151 runs at 75.5.
Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser are in contention after unluckily losing their spots following good displays in the second Test in Adelaide while Scott Boland is likely to be available despite hurting his ribs in Sydney, but Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out due to his ongoing side injury.
Left-armer Starc has bowled the most overs of any quick in the series, clocking up 134.1 overs but brushed aside speculation of a rest.
"It's purely up to the selectors. I'm not looking for a break," Starc told reporters on Wednesday.
"It's the last Test match of an Ashes series at home. It's the pink ball too. I'd very much like to play.
"It's in the hands of the selectors. I won't be asking for a rest."
Starc's ability to swing the pink ball makes him an enticing prospect for the day-night Test, which will be the first ever played in Hobart.
The 31-year-old paceman took 37-4 and 43-2 across both innings with the pink ball in the day-night Adelaide Test last month.
"I think we saw in Adelaide the pink ball didn’t swing anywhere near as much as we've seen in the past," Starc said.
"It's likely going to be very different in Hobart. I've not played with a pink ball here. We'll have to have a look at the wicket and see what that's like. There's a number of factors [on selection].
"We'll be trying to carry on the plan of attack that we had in Adelaide and hopefully that's a positive result for us here this week."
Magnificent Bumrah humbles Australia after India batting collapse
India wrestled control back from Australia to leave them 67-7 at the close of play, despite having been bowled out for just 150 earlier on a remarkable first day in Perth.
The tourists chose to bat first, having made six changes from their Test defeat to New Zealand earlier this month, but things did not go well for them as they were reduced to 32-3 and 73-6.
Virat Kohli struggled again and went for just five after being caught by Usman Khawaja. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and number three Devdutt Padikkal were both playing in Australia for the first time and were dismissed for ducks.
Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) dragged India to a level of respectability before their bowlers tore through the Australian batting lineup.
Jasprit Bumrah (4-17) was India's saviour, producing a spell to leave the hosts 19-3. Nathan McSweeney (10) went on lbw after a review, Khawaja (8) was caught in the slips and Steve Smith was out on his first ball after another lbw.
Both Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh went for a combined total of 17 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne next to go for two off 52 balls. Pat Cummins was the final wicket of the day, meaning Australia finished on 67-7 with Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc at the crease.
Data debrief: Australia and India go wicket crazy
It was undoubtedly a day for the bowlers on the first day in Perth, with 17 wickets being the most to have fallen on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
While all 10 of Australia's wickets were caught, India managed four dismissals through either bowling their opponent or lbw.
Following his unplayable performance in Perth, Bumrah now has 177 Test wickets for his country and can count himself unlucky not to have had more.
50 years of Greatness: Philip Spooner sits down with Sir Viv and Sir Gordon on their famous Test debuts
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the first day that two of the greatest cricketers of all-time set foot on the international stage.
On November 22, 1974, Sir Gordon Greenidge and Sir Vivian Richards made their Test debuts against India. The match was played at the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium in Bangalore.
These two cricketing titans had illustrious careers that spanned from 1974 to 1991 and cemented their place among the pantheon of global sporting icons. During that time, they were pillars of the all-conquering West Indies team, which ruled the cricket world in red ball and white ball formats.
Both remembered the first day of action on Indian soil “like it was yesterday”.
The 23-year-old Greenidge was officially the 150th West Indies Test player. He entered with a flourish, scoring 93 and 107. This piloted West Indies to a huge win by 267 runs and a great start to the five-match series.
Sir Gordon Greenidge
The 22-year-old Richards is officially listed as the 151st West Indies Test player. He endured a tough start against the wizardry of Bhagwant Chandrasekhar. He fell to ace spinner in both innings for only three and four. But he rebounded in spectacular fashion next match with a sensational 192 not out at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. He struck 20 fours and six towering sixes to showcase his prowess and announce his arrival. West Indies won the match by an innings.
Sir Gordon said: “It was a great feeling ... a truly wonderful feeling to walk out and open the batting for the West Indies in my first Test match in India. You were going to face four of the best spinners in the world, and that was a frightening aspect. But I’m pleased to say I was able to overcome those fears pretty quicky and was able to get a formidable score and a personal achievement. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to triple figures in the first innings. But I was able to buckle down again in the second innings and got the hundred and the team won the Test match.”
Sir Viv said: “I didn’t really expect to play … I thought I was going as a replacement … I hit some good form going into the series and the confidence was there. I remember in those day we had some huge crowds … They were maybe 60 000 to 70 000 people in the stands. They (India) were renowned for their spinners, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkat, so it was just different in my perspective. Coming from a small island, you were playing in front of a crowd that was as many as the country where you lived… There was quite a lot happening. Those were testing times…”
He added: “Wow! To get a century in my second Test was a great feeling. I felt that with the mindset of selectors back in those days I was on my last lap, so I had to get something done … better than I did in Bangalore … ‘192 clicks not out’. That was a serious comeback and created the confidence a young man needed to have a successful tour and successful career.”
Sir Isaac Vivian Richards
Sir Gordon and Sir Viv are rated among the best batsmen in history. Among their many accolades, they were named as Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1977 and are inductees in the International Cricket Council’s prestigious Hall of Fame. They were also members of the West Indies team that won the inaugural ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975 at Lord’s in England and repeated in 1979.
Both ended their careers with stellar records. Richards played 121 matches and made 8 540 runs at an average of 50.2. His best score was 291 against England at The Oval on the historic 1976 tour of England. In his first-class career, he made 36,212 runs with 114 centuries. Greenidge played 108 Tests and made 7 558 runs at an average of 44.7. His top score was 226 against Australia at Kensington Oval in 1991 in his penultimate Test innings. In his first-class career, he made 37 354 runs with 92 centuries.
Looking back over the 50 years, Richards said that above all, wearing the West Indies colours brought him greatest pride. This was echoed by Greenidge.
Sir Viv said: “It is not about what you achieve personally, as an individual…but it is much more about what we did as a collective for the people of the West Indies. The same way when we bleed, we bleed together and when we win, we win together, and we have fun.”
Sir Gordon said: “Getting the nod to play for West Indies. I would have to say is the greatest moment of my career. In a land where people found it difficult to go and I managed to start so well. It might seem very strange to say that, but to get the opportunity to play, I would say I accomplished something that so many people dream of doing. I am happy to get that opportunity to play for the West Indies and for as long as I did. Representing the West Indies is the ultimate. We played for our people in the West Indies and the many people overseas who supported us.”
Philip Spooner is the former Media Manager of the West Indies team and the former Head of Media for Cricket West Indies. He was also the Global Media Manager for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
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