The Australian cricket team will face India in the fourth and final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match at Ahmedabad on March 9, 2023. They will, however, be without their normal Test skipper, Pat Cummins, who has gone to Sydney to spend time with his family.
In Cummins’ absence, Cricket Australia declared on their official website that Steve Smith will captain the squad. Smith had already guided the side to a nine-wicket victory in the third Test, securing their spot in the World Test Championship final.
Despite his excellent leadership in the last Test, Steve Smith emphasized that the squad belongs to Cummins and that he was only standing in for him. “My time is up, and it is now Pat’s turn. Our thoughts are still with him in his native country “Smith stated this following the victory in the post-match news conference.
Cummins’ absence from the squad is due to his mother’s sickness. She has breast cancer and is receiving palliative treatment. As a result, Cummins has opted to spend this tough period with his family.
Smith, on the other hand, is looking forward to captaining the squad in India, a country he adores. “India is a region of the globe I like captaining, and it is probably my favorite spot to captain in the world,” he remarked.
The Australian squad will be hoping to keep their winning streak going in the last Test match, especially with the World Test Championship final approaching. They have done well under Smith’s guidance, winning three of their past four Tests.
Jhye Richardson, who has a hamstring injury, has been ruled out of the team’s ODI series against India. In the Big Bash League, the right-arm pacer sustained a left hamstring injury and missed the most of Perth Scorchers’ title-winning season.
Despite being certified healthy, Richardson had a recurrence of the ailment while playing club cricket over the weekend, forcing him to miss the ODI series. Nathan Ellis will fill his spot on the team.
The team management is also looking forward to Cummins’ availability for the ODI series, and it will be intriguing to watch who leads the side in his absence. The captaincy is expected to be won either Alex Carey or Steve Smith.
The loss of Cummins and Richardson is unquestionably a negative for Australia. They still have a quality group, and the players are hungry to continue their winning ways in the last Test and ODI series against India.
Steve Smith will be leading the Australian cricket team in the fourth and final Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Despite his successful leadership in the previous Test match, Smith has made it clear that the team belongs to Cummins, who has returned home to be with his family during his mother’s illness. With Jhye Richardson also ruled out of the ODI series due to injury, the team will be looking to other players to step up and fill the void left by these two key players. Nonetheless, the Australian team remains strong and is eager to continue their winning form in the final Test match and the upcoming ODI series against India.
Smith’s leadership in the previous Test match against India was outstanding, as he made several crucial decisions that led to the team’s victory. His captaincy was praised by cricket experts and fans worldwide. He led the team from the front, scoring crucial runs and making strategic bowling changes to outwit the Indian batting lineup.
However, Steve Smith will face a tough challenge in the fourth Test match, as India is known for their dominance in home conditions. The pitch in Ahmedabad is expected to offer assistance to the spinners, and Australia will have to play their best game to come out victorious.
The Australian team has been performing well in recent Test matches, with players like Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Cameron Green making significant contributions with the bat. Their bowling attack, led by Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins, has also been in excellent form.
However, the absence of Cummins and Richardson is a significant setback for the team, and their replacements will have to step up and perform to the best of their abilities. Nathan Ellis has been included in the squad as a replacement for Richardson, and he will be eager to make his mark in his first international assignment.
The ODI series against India is also crucial for the Australian team, as it is one of the last opportunities for players to impress the selectors before the World Cup. The team has several talented players, and they will be looking to build momentum ahead of the tournament.
Alex Carey and Steve Smith are the front-runners for the ODI captaincy, and the team management will have to make a difficult choice in Cummins’ absence. Carey has previous experience as a captain, having led the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, and Steve Smith has previously led the Australian squad. Got questions about cricket? Read more cricket information here at IPLWin India
