IND vs AUS 2022-23: Pat Cummins not to return for ODIs; Steven Smith to lead Australia

Senior batter Steven Smith will captain Australia versus India in the upcoming three-match One-Day International (ODI) series, as regular skipper Pat Cummins, who recently lost his mother, will not return to the country for the limited-overs meeting. Cummins had flown back home after the second Test in Delhi to care for his mother Maria, who perished of breast cancer last week.

The opening tie of the three-match series will happen at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday. "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," Australian head coach Andrew McDonald told cricket.com.au.

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Cricket Australia (CA) has yet to name any replacement for Cummins in the 15-member ODI squad. Smith had led Australia in a final couple of Tests of the four-Test series that India won 2-1 to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India won the opening couple of Tests, while Australia emerged triumphant in the third Test in Indore. The Ahmedabad Test ended in a tiresome draw.

Pacer Nathan Ellis was newly recalled to the ODI squad after fellow pacer Jhye Richardson withdrew late, having been compelled to experience hamstring surgery. A struggling opener David Warner, who has not been among the ODI squad members training in Ahmedabad lately, will return to the side after missing the last couple of Tests with an elbow injury.

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Among the pacers, Josh Hazlewood, who also led the ODI side during the England series when Cummins skipped a game, is unavailable with an injury. Off-spinner Ashton Agar has returned after being sent home midway through the Tests and will likely constitute a spin federation with Adam Zampa. The series will also see the returns of Glenn Maxwell (broken leg) and Mitchell Marsh (ankle surgery) from grave injuries.

"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 deeper. We've tried that. So, there'll be a mix of combinations as we lead into the World Cup. [There are] a lot of all-rounders picked in the squad, and can they all play in the one team? So we've got to answer a few of those questions," said McDonald.

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The ODI series is essential for Australia because India is hosting the ICC World Cup in October-November. Cummins took over the ODI leadership role after Aaron Finch announced his retirement last year but has captained the unit in just a couple of contests so far.

(With inputs from PTI)