Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test: Steve Smith BACK as captain as Pat Cummins ruled out with injury

Former Australia skipper Steve Smith is back as captain of the side for the second Test against the West Indies starting at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (December 8) onwards. Smith replaces regular skipper Pat Cummins, who has been ruled out of the second Test against West Indies after not recovering from the quad strain he picked up in Perth.

Smith has been in sizzling form with the bat, scoring his fourth Test double century in the last Test at Perth. Marnus Labuschagne also scored his second Test double ton, making it only the 17th instance of two double hundreds coming in a team innings in Test cricket history and also the first such instance since January 2012 when Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke made double hundreds against India in Adelaide.

Look who's back as Test skipper _ #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/MtM5YlpvSE

— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) December 7, 2022

Cummins failed to bowl during the final two days of Australia’s emphatic 164-run victory over the West Indies in the opening Test in Perth and his spot in the XI for Adelaide will instead be taken by fellow quick Scott Boland. Boland hasn’t played a Test since he collected 18 wickets from three Ashes Tests against England last summer but earns a recall after missing out on selection in Perth.

The absence of Cummins also means veteran batter Steve Smith will captain Australia once again after he stood in for the Australia skipper in the Adelaide Test against England last year when Cummins was deemed a close COVID-19 contact.

“Team medical staff commenced Cummins' recovery in Adelaide but selectors deemed there was not sufficient time for the fast bowler to be fully fit for the match, which starts tomorrow. Cummins is expected to return for the opening Test match against South Africa in Brisbane,” a statement said as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

With Australia playing five Test matches in less than five weeks, handling the fast bowlers will be critical for the selectors. The four-Test visit of India will therefore begin in early February.

With Australia playing two series in Asia following the Ashes last summer, and then Josh Hazlewood returning in Perth last week, Boland has failed to add to his three caps, but he is seen to be ideally suited to the pink ball in Adelaide.

(with ANI inputs)