Image Courtesy : Steve Smith/twitter
Steve Smith will lead Australia in the upcoming three-match ODI series against India as Pat Cummins stays in Australia. Cummins returned to Australia after the second Test of the series to be with his ailing mother, who subsequently passed away.
The head coach of the Aussies, McDonald, said: “Pat won’t be coming back. He’s still taking care of what’s happened back home. Our thoughts are with Pat and his family as they go through that grieving process.”
It means Smith will stay on as skipper, having led the Test side in their final two campaign matches that finished in a drawn game at the Narendra Modi Stadium, setting the series ledger at 2-1 in favour of the hosts.
Since taking over the ODI role following Aaron Finch’s retirement last year, Cummins has coached the team just twice, both times against a demotivated England side that had recently won the T20 World Cup at home.