Steve Smith ruled out of 3rd Ashes Test: What is the Reason?

Australia were dealt a major blow ahead of the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide as stand-in captain Steve Smith was ruled out of the match at the eleventh hour. The senior batter was sidelined due to an inner ear condition that caused dizziness and nausea, forcing team management to make a late change to the playing XI. So let’s have a look about why Steve Smith ruled out of 3rd Ashes Test.

Steve Smith Ruled Out Due to Inner Ear Issue

Steve Smith was initially named in Australia’s playing XI for the Adelaide Test, making his absence all the more surprising. However, just 20 minutes before the toss on Wednesday morning, Smith left the field after failing to recover from an inner ear problem. The condition reportedly led to persistent dizziness and nausea, making him unfit to take the field in a high-intensity Test match.

Symptoms Affected Smith’s Preparation

Smith had been experiencing discomfort since earlier in the week. He missed net sessions on Monday due to the same issue and continued to feel unwell in the days leading up to the match. Although he attempted to assess his fitness during a brief net session on the morning of the Test, the symptoms did not subside.

After discussions with head coach Andrew McDonald and skipper Pat Cummins, it was decided that Smith should not risk aggravating the problem and would instead return home for recovery.

Cummins Explains Late Change at Toss

Speaking at the toss, Pat Cummins confirmed Smith’s unavailability and explained the decision to replace him.

“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’ve got someone like Usman who can step right in,” Cummins said.

Smith has previously dealt with vestibular and inner ear issues, which made the medical team cautious about rushing him back into action.

Usman Khawaja Returns to Playing XI

Smith’s absence opened the door for Usman Khawaja, who was recalled into the side at the last moment. Khawaja, who had earlier been left out of the Adelaide Test plans, returned to bat at No. 4, providing Australia with experience and stability in the middle order.

Australia’s Updated Playing XI

Following Smith’s withdrawal, Australia fielded the following XI for the third Ashes Test:

Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.

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