Australian skipper Pat Cummins will miss the third Test between Australia and India as he will stay home to care for his mother who is receiving palliative care. In the third Test, which starts on March 1st, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side in Cummin’s absence. After the second Test in Delhi, Cummins had earlier taken a flight home to be with his sick mother. He had promised to be back in time for the match in Indore. He has since issued a statement thanking Cricket Australia for its support and announcing that he will remain at home with his family at this time.
“I have decided against returning to India at this time as my mother is ill and in palliative care”: Cummins
“I have decided against returning to India at this time as my mother is ill and in palliative care. I feel I am best being here with my family. I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received from Cricket Australia and my teammates. Thanks for your understanding,” Pat Cummins said in a statement.
Further to Cummins, Australia will also be without the services of fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and opener David Warner due to injuries. Both of these players traveled home on the same trip as Pat. David sustained a concussion and an elbow fracture during the Delhi Test, but Hazlewood has been sitting out the entire trip as he works his way back from an Achilles injury.
Despite the fact that Cricket Australia hasn’t announced a substitute for Cummins, a fit Mitchell Starc is likely to replace him in the lineup for the forthcoming Test. While Mitchell Swepson, who returned home following the conclusion of the Nagpur match to give birth to his first child, will also be a selection option.
It would be an understatement to suggest that Australians have had a difficult time coping with the spin on this trip
It would be an understatement to suggest that Australians have had a difficult time coping with the spin on this trip. 32 of the 40 wickets that were lost over the course of two Test matches were taken by spinners, with Ravindra Jadeja emerging as the main danger. He made a significant contribution with both the bat and the ball in the first Test, scoring 70 and claiming a five-for in the first innings. But, in the second innings of the Delhi Test, he recorded his career-best figures of seven for 42.
Australia must now make sure they are at least winning one game in the final two Tests if they want to avoid finding themselves out of the running for a berth in the World Test Championship finals. They will be optimistic about their chances of returning to the Border-Gavaskar series under Smith.