Australia's superstar skipper Steve Smith had joined another exclusive group of batsmen following his brilliant hundred in the first Test against India in Pune.

Australia hailed the extraordinary victory by their cricketers in the first Test against India in Pune on Sunday, the plaudits just about drowning out the expressions of stunned surprise at a triumph almost no one expected.

Mitchell Starc smashes an unbeaten 57 to lift Australia to 256 for nine at stumps on the opening day of the first Test against India in Pune on Thursday.

Steve Smith dismissed predictions Wednesday that Australia face another series whitewash against India but admitted they had to show more fight to have any chance of stopping the world's number one Test team.

Five previous flashpoints between India and Australia. The four-match Test series will begin in Pune on Thursday.

The No.1 Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin brushes off suggestions he'd begun mind games with Australia's captain Steve Smith during last year's IPL

Joe Root hopes becoming a Test captain will take his batting to the "next level", just as it's done for India's Virat Kohli and Australia's Steve Smith.

There's few members of Australia's current Test squad with a deeper knowledge of what makes India's red-hot skipper Virat Kohli tick than Glenn Maxwell.

Australia have yet to work out a plan to foil India captain Virat Kohli beyond bowling well and hoping for some "luck" against the in-form batsman, coach Darren Lehmann has said.

Opening batsman Aaron Finch will lead the Australian Twenty20 team in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka with captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner resting ahead of the tour of India.

Australia captain Steve Smith has been ruled out of the upcoming one-day international series in New Zealand after he picked up a minor ankle injury in the ODI victory over Pakistan in Adelaide on Thursday.

Pakistan were in early trouble after Australia called a halt to their massive first innings at 538 for eight on the second day of the third Test in Sydney on Wednesday.

Australia have one eye on India and Pakistan could be contemplating life without their most successful captain Misbah-ul-Haq when the final 'dead' Test begins on Tuesday in Sydney.

Mitchell Starc spearheaded Australia to a stunning final day innings victory over Pakistan with a mercurial bat and ball performance to claim the series in Melbourne on Friday.

Opening batsman Azhar Ali completed a rousing century and combined with Asad Shafiq to defy Australia's bowlers for an entire session as Pakistan moved to 232 for four at lunch on day two of the second Test on Tuesday.

Out-of-form Australia batsman Nic Maddinson has been granted a reprieve with his captain Steve Smith confirming his side would be unchanged for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

A strong fourth innings fightback that had nearly clinched a remarkable record run chase in the first Test loss to Australia in Brisbane had given Pakistan the confidence they needed for the rest of the series, captain Misbah-ul-haq has said.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq hailed Asad Shafiq's defiant century as among the "classiest" he had ever seen after the knock of 137 all but drove Pakistan to a famous victory over Australia in the first Test in Brisbane on Monday.

Australia prevented a world-record, 490-run chase by Pakistan on Friday to win a gripping first Test by just 39 runs and preserve their 28-year unbeaten streak at Brisbane's Gabba ground.

The Pakistan team, six years in the making and armed with insider knowledge from coach Mickey Arthur, are poised to make history in Australia, veteran skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said Wednesday.