Steve Smith ruled out of third Ashes Test on matchday morning
A recurrence of inner ear issues sidelined Smith hours before toss as the home team decide that Khawaja would bat at No.4.
New Delhi: Australia’s premier batter Steve Smith was ruled out of the third Ashes Test minuted before its commencement at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
Usman Khawaja was brought in to replace him after the left hander was dropped from the team.
A recurrence of inner ear issues sidelined Smith hours before toss as the home team decide that Khawaja would bat at No.4.
Smith left the ground 20 minutes before the toss, won by Australia who opted to bat first. The right hander was struck in the groin with a ball in the nets during training and had been unwell for the last two days.
The 36-year-old suffered rom nausea and dizziness and missed Monday's training session and failed in a fitness test on Wednesday morning.
"He came and gave it a crack this morning but didn't think he was going to get up for this one so he has headed off home. (We're) pretty lucky we got someone like Usman who can step right in," regular skipper Pat Cummins, who returned to the side after missing the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane.
Smith spoke at length with Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald before play before pulling out but is expected to be fit for the fourth Test in Melbourne.
He has earlier missed an ODI World Cup match against Afghnistan in 2023.
Australia won the toss and decided to bat. They won the first two matches of the five-match series.
Teams:
Australia - Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus
Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh
Inglis, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott
Boland
England - Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root,
Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Brydon
Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue