Star Australian batter Steve Smith has been named interim captain of the Australian national team as the 16-player squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on January 29, was announced. Smith had been banned from captaincy following the 2018 ‘Sandpaper Gate’ scandal in the Newlands Test in Cape Town. The leadership ban imposed on Smith by Cricket Australia had ended in March 2019.
Smith will step in for Pat Cummins, who is unavailable due to paternity leave and a minor ankle issue sustained during the recent home summer as well as the birth of his second child.
Introducing our 16-player squad for our Qantas Men’s Tour of Sri Lanka #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/BUWJHr5Zz4
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 9, 2025
The squad includes a maiden Test call-up for former Australia Under-19 World Cup captain Cooper Connolly, while young all-rounder Nathan McSweeney has been recalled after missing the Melbourne and Sydney Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar series.
Spinners Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy also return to the squad for the Sri Lanka tour. However, pacer Josh Hazlewood will miss the series due to a calf injury, and Mitchell Marsh is unavailable as both focus on preparation for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Notable omissions include Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and Peter Handscomb, who were earlier speculated as potential inclusions for the tour. Chairman of selectors George Bailey highlighted the unique challenges of playing in Sri Lanka and the opportunities it offers newer players to prove themselves in red-ball cricket.
“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour due to the diverse conditions players may face. This squad allows for flexibility in structuring the XI based on the type of wickets we encounter,” Bailey said.
“We are excited for the newer squad members to continue developing their skills in subcontinent conditions, particularly with several important tours in this region over the coming years,” he added.
While the two matches are part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 cycle, the final standings are already decided. Australia, with 63.73 per cent of possible points, and South Africa, with 69.44 per cent, have secured the top two spots and cannot be displaced.
Australia will face South Africa in the WTC Final, set to begin on June 11 at Lord’s, as they defend their championship mace. The Proteas confirmed their spot with a crucial victory over Pakistan in late 2024.
January 29 to February 2 – 1st Test at Galle
February 6 to February 10 – 2nd Test at Galle
Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
