Cummins out, Smith to lead ODI Tour in India

Australia’s cricket team made an announcement ahead of their upcoming one-day international series in India, and it’s sure to surprise fans. Pat Cummins, who has been leading the ODI team since Aaron Finch’s retirement last year, won’t return to India for the series. The reason? He’s still back home taking care of family matters following the sad news of his mother’s passing.

Cummins had departed the tour after the second Test in Delhi to care for his mother, Maria, who passed away last week after battling breast cancer. Coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Cummins would not be returning, and the team’s thoughts are with him and his family as they go through the grieving process.

How Australia Team is Faring

Meanwhile, Steve Smith will continue to lead the Australian side. Smith took charge of the Australian cricket team in the final two Tests of the four-match series against India. India ultimately won the series 2-1 to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

While India won the first two Tests, Australia came back strongly in the third match in Indore, claiming a victory. However, the fourth Test in Ahmedabad ended in a dull draw, leaving both sides with some mixed feelings.

This appointment will be Smith’s fourth time captaining Australia in their last five ODIs, making him a seasoned captain with experience.

Smith’s leadership skills will be put to the test in the upcoming ODI series, which takes on extra significance as it will be played in the same country hosting the ODI World Cup later this year.

Other Australian Team Updates

In addition to the announcement of Cummins staying home and Smith’s captainship, the team gave updates on different players.

The team confirmed the return of David Warner, who missed the final two Tests due to a fractured elbow. Warner is set to join the 50-over squad after not being part of the training in Ahmedabad recently.

Ashton Agar, who was sent home midway through the Test series, has also returned to the squad and will reform his spin partnership with Adam Zampa.

However, due to injuries, Australia will miss the services of pacers Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson. Nathan Ellis has been drafted into the ODI squad as a replacement for Richardson.

Australia’s Plans

The Australian team is considering how many all-rounders, such as Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, and Mitchell Marsh, can fit into their one-day team. Coach McDonald stated they are trying different combinations to find the right balance and answer a few questions before the ODI World Cup.

McDonald has hinted that they are considering how many allrounders, including Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis, can fit into their one-day team.

“We’ve got a couple of conversations around the balance of the team we want to play, we’ve gone in with a structure with eight batters to bat a little bit deeper, we’ve tried that,” said the coach.

The absence of Cummins in the upcoming ODI series is a blow for the Australian team since they will have to make do with their current squad of 15 players.

But they have a strong squad with experienced players returning from injuries. The three-match series will begin this week and will happen in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Chennai.