Ashes 2021: Steve Smith wins toss as Australia bat first in Pink Ball Test
Zee News
Steve Smith regained the captaincy for the first time since the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018, while uncapped paceman Michael Neser makes his test debut after replacing Cummins in the pace attack.
Australia stand-in captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat first in the day-night second Ashes Test against England at Adelaide Oval on Thursday (December 16), hours after the home side were rocked by the loss of regular skipper Pat Cummins. Cummins was forced to pull out of the match after he was identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.
Cummins, who dined in the same restaurant in Adelaide on Wednesday night as the COVID case, will need to isolate for seven days. Smith regained the captaincy for the first time since the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018, while uncapped paceman Michael Neser makes his test debut after replacing Cummins in the pace attack.
“It’s a huge honour obviously,” said Smith, now the third captain in three tests for Australia following Tim Paine’s resignation before the series.
