Australia have been dealt a big blow after Steve Smith was ruled out on the morning of the third Ashes Test against England because of illness.
Smith missed training on Monday after feeling unwell and then took a knock to the groin while batting in the nets on Tuesday morning. Although he was at the ground before the match, he left before the toss and was unable to play.
Captain Pat Cummins said Smith tried to see if he could play but was not fit enough, so he returned home. Usman Khawaja was brought into the team as his replacement and will bat at number four.
Australia are already 2-0 up in the series and will keep the Ashes if they avoid defeat in Adelaide. They won the toss and chose to bat first.
Smith’s absence is a major loss, as he is one of Australia’s most successful Ashes batters, with only Don Bradman scoring more runs for the country in the series. This is his first home Test missed since his ban following the Sandpapergate scandal in 2019.
Khawaja’s return is a surprise, as he had been left out of the squad earlier and has been struggling with a back problem. The 38-year-old, who turns 39 during the Test, now gets another chance after previously scoring centuries in the 2022 Ashes while batting in the middle order.
