Crystal Palace supporters inadvertently vandalised their own team's bus thinking it belonged to Middlesbrough prior to the Premier League clash between the relegation rivals on Saturday.

The first ball Virat Kohli faced as captain of India was from Mitch Johnson at the Adelaide Oval, and it hit him in the head. That was less than two weeks after the death of Phil Hughes, and it  sent an alarmed shiver down every spine, not least Johnson's.

Trainers eyeing the prized Black Opal Stakes will be hoping for a drought in Queensland this week.

Jason Behrendorff is still trying to process what has transpired over a "whirlwind" couple of days.

India's pitch doctors have been thrown another curve ball by the confident Australians, who say they are prepared for whatever surface is thrown at them for the second Test in Bangalore.