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Former captain Steve Smith will once again lead Australia this month, having been named skipper in the absence of Pat Cummins, who is on paternity leave.
Smith will lead Australia in their three-match series against Sri Lanka, which takes place across January and February, having last captained the side in March 2018.
The 35-year-old previously served a one-year ban from cricket for his involvement in a 2018 ball-tampering scandal that took place in the third Test of a series against South Africa, and he was also banned from captaining the side in any format for two years.
But Smith returns as captain for this series, which includes two Tests and one ODI and begins on 29 January in Galle.
Smith will captain a side that includes Nathan McSweeney, who opened in three of the Tests in the recent series against India, and 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who originally replaced McSweeney for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. They are joined by Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head at the top of the batting order.
2§-year-old spinner Cooper Connolly has earned his first Test call-up after representing both the T20 and ODI sides, and he joins Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland in the bowling line-up, with Alex Carey as wicket keeper.
As well as Cummins, notable absentees include Josh Hazlewood – who is still recovering from a calf injury – and Mitchell Marsh, who has been left out due to a series of poor performances. Beau Webster, who replaced Marsh in the final Test against India, keeps his place.
Australia’s 3-1 series win over India means that they qualify for the final of the World Test Championship – they are also the holders, having beaten India in the final in 2023.
This time round, the final will see them face South Africa at Lord’s, with the match taking place between 11 and 15 June 2025.
