IND vs AUS 2023: Steve Smith to lead Australia in 3rd Test as Pat Cummins stays at home with his ill mother

Australia’s regular skipper Pat Cummins will be unavailable for the third Test against India, having returned home to attend to his ill mother. Vice-captain Steve Smith will lead the Aussie side in Cummins’ absence.

The third Test is scheduled to be played in Indore from March 1.

“I have decided against returning to India at this time as my mother is ill and in palliative care. I feel I am best being here with my family. I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received from Cricket Australia and my teammates. Thanks for your understanding,” said Cummins in his official statement.

Talking about Smith, he had gone to Dubai with his wife Dani Willis after the second Test and re-joined the Australia squad in Delhi on Thursday evening.

Smith & Co. is currently training at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi and will leave for Indore on Sunday, February 26.

While Cricket Australia (CA) have not named any replacement for Cummins, the spot is likely to be filled by either of Mitchell Starc (recovering from injury) or Scott Boland, who featured in the first Test of the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia had preferred to go in with just one seam bowler in Cummins for the Delhi Test.

Australia Test squad for 3rd Test against India:

Steve Smith (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Matt Kuhnemann.