Steve Smith returns to Aussie Test captaincy as Pat Cummins chooses family over cricket
Cummins wants to be at home for the birth of his second child with wife Becky.
Steve Smith has won the race to be Australian Test captain during the tour of Sri Lanka later this month, with Pat Cummins choosing to remain at home to be with his family for the birth of his second child. Cummins will remain in Australia while the Test team heads to Sri Lanka, and will miss both games on January 29 and February 6.
There had been a push for Travis Head to be elevated to the captaincy in Cummins' absence, as he and Smith are both vice-captains. But Smith's return to the role was confirmed on Thursday after he captained his country on numerous occasions.
Smith was infamously stripped of the captaincy over the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018, and banned from holding a leadership position for two years. That ban has well-and-truly expired, and Smith has captained the Test team anytime Cummins has missed a match since then.
Speaking ahead of the fifth Test against India at the SCG, Cummins paid tribute to Smith's work ethic and desire to keep improving. “I think it’s just that incredible drive to keep finding that one per cent improvement,” Cummins said.
“Whether he’s coming off a duck or a hundred he’s still in the nets the next day tinkering, kind of dissecting his innings – where he could have got better. Even if it’s really good bowling, he has such high standards he thinks he should be able to solve every problem that’s thrown at him."
Why Pat Cummins will skip Test tour of Sri Lanka
Cummins previously revealed he regrets how much of son Albie's first few weeks of life he missed because he was away at a World Cup. And the death of mother Maria in 2023 has changed his outlook on life and priorities.
“In some ways it really makes you focus in on what I think is important," he told the Daily Telegraph at the launch of the Pink Test. "It’s family, it’s enjoyment, it’s trying to find joy in life and I think that’s been a slight shift in the way I’ve approached playing and touring and it’s just given me that real decluttering mindset.
“When you go out you just want to play well and of course there’s going to be pressure, but you don’t want to forget that what mum and dad used to say to us every time we went and played as kids, was to go and enjoy it. Try your best, but make sure you enjoy it. I try and remind myself of that every time I go on a tour or play.
“Whatever you choose to do there’s always an opportunity cost. And I think in the last few years that’s probably rung true. That is when you go away on a tour you are missing out on maybe family time or moments. That’s a deliberate choice so make sure you are making the most of that tour or that game if that makes sense.”
RELATED:
Mitch Marsh's eye-opening move for Beau Webster after Test axing
Michael Clarke calls for Aussie star to retire after fifth Test at SCG
He stated previously: "I missed a big chunk [of son Albie's early days] last time and I want to work out how we can spend a bit more time at home for that initial period this time. It's pretty hard to plan exactly the day, but definitely (I might miss the Sri Lanka tour)."
A poll of over 36,000 Yahoo Sport Australia readers had Smith as the favourite to take the captaincy, earning 46 per cent of the vote. Head had 40 per cent at time of publishing, while eight per cent wanted Alex Carey and six per cent 'someone else'.
Darren Berry not a fan of Steve Smith as captain
On Wednesday, Victorian great Darren Berry said he'd much rather see Head take the captaincy over Smith. “I love Steve Smith and he's a great Australian batsman, but after the South African episode… I just don’t think they should ever go back there, just let him play," Berry said on SEN radio. "That's always been my stance, it’s not a reactive call so for me it's Travis Head.”
Australia's Test squad for Sri Lanka tour:
Sam Konstas
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith (c)
Travis Head (vc)
Beau Webster
Alex Carey
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Scott Boland
Todd Murphy
Matt Kuhnemann
Sean Abbott
Josh Inglis
Cooper Connolly
Nathan McSweeney
