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Steve Smith to remain Australia captain in 4th Test vs India as Pat Cummins stays back in Sydney with ailing mother
Cummins, who departed the tour following the second Test in Delhi last month, will remain in Sydney where his mother Maria is ill with breast cancer and is in palliative care.
Steve Smith will continue to lead Australia in the fourth and final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India as regular captain Pat Cummins has decided not to return for the series decider in Ahmedabad starting March 9. Cummins, who departed the tour following the second Test in Delhi last month, will remain in Sydney where his mother Maria is ill with breast cancer and is in palliative care.
A call on Cummins' availability for the three-match ODI series starting March 17, will be taken later but it is unlikely that the fast-bowling all-rounder will return. In that case, Smith might lead the Australian side even in the ODIs.
"Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the fourth Test against India in Ahmedabad to remain in Australia with his family," Cricket Australia said in a brief statement.
"Steve Smith will captain Australia in the final Test of this series."
Cricket Australia have extended their full support to Cummins and his family in these difficult times.
Smith led Australia exceptionally well in the third Test in Indore in the absence of Cummins. Australia won the Test by 9 wickets to stage a comeback and stay alive in the series.
Interestingly, Smith, after leading the Australian side to a turnaround victory in Indore, had clearly stated his lack of interest in returning as Australia's full-time captain.
"My time as captain is done. It's Pat's team now," said the 33-year-old.
Smith, who was stripped of the captaincy and handed a year-long ban over a 2018 ball-tampering incident, said he still relishes making the big calls.
"Look, India is a part of the world I love captaining," Smith said.
"It's a game of chess, every ball means something. It's good to just move people and try to make the batter do something different and just play games with them.
"It's probably my favourite place in the world to captain."
Jhye Richardson ruled out
In another important development, fast bowler Jhye Richardson has been ruled out of the ODI series a left hamstring injury. The right-arm pacer sustained the injury while playing club cricket. Cricket Australia are yet to name a replacement for him.
