Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is all set to miss the second Ashes Test Adelaide after being deemed as a close contact of a Covid-19 case at a restaurant on Wednesday night. This means Steve Smith will lead the side against England. Cummins was dining at an Adelaide restaurant when a patron at the nearby table was identified as a Covid positive case. Cummins immediately left the location and alerted the authorities. He has returned a negative RT-PCR test.
Day Night Test in Adelaide Live: Steve Smith Back as Captain
Cummins didn’t break any protocol as he dined with his mate Harry Conway, who plays for BBL franchise Adelaide Strikersk, at a restaurant. Regulations issued by Cricket Australia in recent weeks saw NSW and Victoria deemed high risk locations, while Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia were deemed low risk. Since they were in Adelaide, dining outside wasn’t prohibited. They were both deemed close contacts and forced to isolate ruling Cummins out of the second Test. It all began as the patron sitting on a nearby table received a text message that he had tested positive after which he informed his fellow diners of the situation. Cummins was also alerted, Fox Cricket reported.
Besides, two of his other colleagues: Mitchell March and Nathan Lyon were also at the same restaurant but at a separate table outside. South Australia health authorities have cleared the duo which means they will feature in the Day Nighter in Adelaide. This is the biggest impact of Covid-19 as far as Australian cricket is concerned. Michael Neser comes into the playing XI to replace Cummins and make his test debut, with Travis Head vice-captain.
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It will be Smith’s first appearance as captain since the Cape Town, South Africa ball-tampering scandal in 2018 which cost him the captaincy and a subsequent two-year leadership ban. Cummins absence along with that of injured Josh Hazlewood is a big blow to Australia after Hazlewood, the worlds top-ranked test bowler, claimed a five-wicket haul in Australia’s series-opening nine-wicket win at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Adelaide has had a rise in COVID-19 cases over the past week, with the 25 reported on Wednesday the most in a single day in more than 18 months.
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