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AUS vs SL: Steve Smith Returns As Australia’s Test Captain For Sri Lanka Tour

Cricket
By Unnati Madan
AUS vs SL: Steve Smith Returns As Australia’s Test Captain For Sri Lanka Tour

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Australia’s captain Pat Cummins will miss the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka because of family commitments. As a result, vice-captain Steve Smith is expected to take over as captain for the tour.

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Pat Cummins to Miss Sri Lanka Test Series Due to Family Commitments

Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald, had confirmed earlier that Pat Cummins would miss the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, before the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Currently, Cummins is leading Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with Steve Smith serving as the vice-captain.

AUS vs SL: Steve Smith Returns As Australia’s Test Captain For Sri Lanka Tour

According to Code Sports, Steve Smith is set to lead Australia in the crucial Test series in Sri Lanka. Pat Cummins will miss the series as he and his wife Becky Boston are expecting their second child.

Steve Smith’s Return to Captaincy After a Long Hiatus

Steve Smith is not new to the role of captain but will be leading the team again after some time. His last Test as captain was in the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India in Ahmedabad. Smith had stepped in as captain for two Tests during Cummins’ absence in the series, with Australia winning one of those Tests in Ranchi under his leadership.

Steve Smith was Australia’s captain before Pat Cummins took over. However, he was removed from the position after the infamous Sandpaper scandal in 2018 during Australia’s tour of South Africa. Despite this, Smith has a strong record as a Test captain, having led Australia to 21 wins in 38 matches, with a win percentage of 67.74%.

Impact of Pat Cummins’ Absence on Australia’s Sri Lanka Tour

Australia will miss Pat Cummins’ services, as he has been a key player for the team in recent years. As one of the senior players, Cummins has been a world-class performer, particularly in Test cricket.

Currently, he is the second-highest wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, with 20 wickets in four Tests at an average of 22.65. He trails only Jasprit Bumrah, who has also been exceptional with the ball.

AUS vs SL: Steve Smith Returns As Australia’s Test Captain For Sri Lanka Tour

Pat Cummins has an excellent record as a Test captain, having led Australia to 19 wins in 32 Tests, with an impressive win percentage of 73.07%. Under his leadership, Australia also won the World Test Championship title in 2023, further solidifying his legacy as a successful captain.

Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka is set to begin on January 29 in Galle, with two Test matches scheduled at the same venue. This series will be crucial for both teams as they aim to secure a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, which will take place in June 2025.

If Australia fails to win the fifth Test against India in Sydney, they will need to win at least one Test against Sri Lanka to qualify for the WTC final. Australia are the defending champions of the WTC.

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Unnati Madan

Unnati is a passionate cricket writer with a deep love and understanding of the game. As a female cricket writer, she brings a unique perspective to the sport, having had to overcome various challenges to pursue her passion for cricket.

Growing up, Unnati developed a love for cricket by watching matches with her family. She was always fascinated by the way the game was played, and would often spend hours reading about cricket, analyzing matches, and learning more about the sport. However, as a female in a male-dominated industry, she faced numerous obstacles to pursue her passion for cricket writing. Despite this, Unnati persevered and became an accomplished writer in the field.

Unnati’s writing style is engaging and insightful, with a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the nuances of the game. Her articles are known for their depth of analysis, and she is often sought after for her strong opinions on the sport. Unnati has a unique ability to break down complex ideas and make them accessible to a wide audience, which has helped her build a large following of readers.

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