Cummins Out Smith To Lead

Steven Smith will captain Australia with Michael Neser making his Test debut.

Disarray broke out in the Australian team just hours before Thursday afternoon’s toss in Adelaide. Pat Cummins, Australia’s new Test captain, had to pull out of the pink-ball Test due to coming in close touch with a COVID-19 positive person at a restaurant last night in Adelaide. Steve Smith will handle the captaincy of the team in his leave, while Michael Neser substitutes Cummins in the XI for the day-night Test in what will be his Test debut match on Thursday.

On Wednesday the world’s number 1 pacer was at an Adelaide restaurant at night when someone at the near table was identified as COVID-19 positive. After this Cummins isolated himself when he became informed about the situation and has since returned a negative Covid test. But under South Australia’s tough bio-security directions he must now be separate for seven days, indicating that Steve Smith will lead the team for the first time since a ball-tampering scandal in 2018.

“Gutted to miss this Test but really excited to see Neser finally get his chance in the baggy green,” Cummins tweeted. “He has done the hard yards and is a seriously skillful player.

“Super frustrating but Covid has thrown us all some curve balls over the last couple of years. Will be cheering along!”

Meanwhile, Steve Smith gets a great chance to lead Australia once again for the first time since being thrown out as captain over his action in the ball-tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test in 2018. Smith was given a one-year ban and a two-year ban for captaincy.

Despite the powerful voices of the opponent, Smith was made Australia’s Test vice-captain of the Ashes as Cummins took over as captain from Tim Paine.