IND vs AUS 4th Test: Steve Smith to continue as captain for the final test match

Australia has announced that Steve Smith will continue to serve as captain for the final Border-Gavaskar Test against India in Ahmedabad, as Pat Cummins flew back home after the second Test in Delhi to be with his mother Maria, who is in palliative care.

Smith led the team to their first Test victory on tour in Indore, with Nathan Lyon spearheading the effort with a 10-wicket match haul in a nine-wicket triumph at the Holkar Stadium.

The win secured Australia’s berth in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2021-23, to be held on June 7 at the Oval. The opposing team is yet to be determined, with India and Sri Lanka being the two teams in contention.

Cummins’ availability for the ODI leg of the India series, which starts on March 17 in Mumbai, has yet to be decided, as he was named ODI captain last year following Aaron Finch’s resignation.

In addition, Nathan Ellis was called up to the ODI squad in place of the injured Jhye Richardson, who suffered a relapse of a left hamstring injury while playing club cricket and was forced to withdraw from the series.