Steve Smith Set to Replace Cummins
Steve Smith is expected to captain Australia during the upcoming two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, with Pat Cummins unavailable due to family commitments.
Australia’s star batter Steve Smith is likely to resume his role as Test captain for the team’s Sri Lanka tour, beginning January 29. Regular skipper Pat Cummins will miss the series to be with his family, as confirmed by head coach Andrew McDonald in November.
Both Smith and Cummins are currently playing against India in the ongoing five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. These matches, along with the Sri Lanka Tests, are part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Smith, who previously led Australia full-time until 2018, stepped down following the infamous ball-tampering scandal. He returned to captaincy on an interim basis in December 2021 when Cummins was sidelined due to COVID-19. In early 2023, Smith also led the side in the final two Tests of their four-match series against India.
According to a CODE Sports report, Smith is expected to take over as captain in Cummins’ absence. Cummins, who is set to welcome his second child with wife Becky Boston, had earlier confirmed his unavailability for the Sri Lanka tour.
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Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka will kick off with the first Test at Galle International Stadium. The visitors need just one win from the two matches to strengthen their bid for a spot in the WTC 2025 final.
As of now, Australia ranks second on the WTC standings with a PCT of 61.46, while South Africa leads the table and has already secured a place in the final.
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Last Updated on January 2, 2025
