INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

Australia sans Cummins, Smith to lead in final Test to level series

Matthew Renshaw

Pat Cummins will miss the final Test in Ahmedabad as he stays with his seriously ill mother, Maria, who is in palliative care. The team stayed in touch with Cummins after their second Test victory in Indore, their second win in India since 2004. Steven Smith will once again lead Australia, marking his fourth time stepping in for Cummins since they adopted the new leadership structure before the 2021-22 Ashes. However, Smith has stated that he is not interested in permanently taking on the captaincy.

AUSTRALIA ARE ALREADY IN THE WTC FINAL

Smith will be standing in for Cummins for the fourth time in Ahmedabad. This has been happening since they formed the new leadership structure before the 2021-22 Ashes. However, Smith has stated that he is not interested in taking on the captaincy full-time again.

After Indore Test, Smith had said:

“My time is done. It’s Pat’s team now. I’ve obviously been able to stand in this week, obviously in tough circumstances with Patty going home. Our thoughts are still with him back home as well.”

On the other hand, he expressed his delight in leading the team in India. According to Smith, every decision made in the field has the potential to affect the outcome of the match.

“It’s a game of chess, every ball means something. It’s probably my favourite place in the world to captain. You think back home in Australia and generally you’re playing with a third slip or putting a third slip to cover or your square leg up or back or something like that. There’s not too much that sort of goes on with it.”But [in] this part of the world, you have to be really proactive. Every ball is an event and therefore can dictate what happens after, which is something that I really love and you’ve got to be ahead of the game,”

Smith further added.

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