Smith out injured but India trip not in doubt

Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has assumed captaincy duties for the upcoming New Zealand tour after injury ruled out Steve Smith, with youngster Sam Heazlett called up as his replacement, Cricket Australia said on Friday. Smith’s deputy David Warner was already due to be rested for the three oneday games in New Zealand starting on Monday. Smith was fielding in the fifth oneday international against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday when he injured his left ankle, CA said.

“He came off the field and had his ankle strapped and was able to return to the field for the remainder of the match,” sports science and sports medicine manager Alex Kountouris said in a statement. “Following further assessment this morning we believe Steve has sustained a medial ligament injury to his ankle. He will return to Sydney today to undergo scans to confirm the diagnosis. Early indications suggest this will likely take seven to 10 days to recover, meaning Steve will be unable to (participate) in the Qantas Tour of New Zealand.”

Wade said he was surprised but “very excited” to be chosen as Australia’s 24th ODI captain by the national selection panel.

“With Steve Smith and David Warner absent it’s an opportunity for me to captain the side for three matches,” Wade said. “But I’m not about to change too much and it’s a case of trying to continue the disciplines that have earned us success in the recent past.”

Heazlett, 21, is a left-handed batsman who has played for Brisbane Heat in this season’s Twenty20 Big Bash League. “Sam showed last summer what a talented player he is by averaging over 40 in his debut season at first-class level,” CA interim selector Trevor Hohns said. “He impressed again when playing for the National Performance Squad against A teams from Australia, South Africa and India in Townsville and Mackay during this past winter.”

Smith’s setback came less than a month before the tough India tour. “We’ve got a lot coming up so they think it’s an opportunity to rest it and be right for India,” Smith told reporters in Adelaide, cricket.com.au reported.

‘Australia will struggle in India’

Australia will struggle on their tour of India where they will play four tests against the world's top-ranked side in spin-friendly conditions, former captain Ricky Ponting has predicted. Steve Smith's men will travel to India next month having been beaten 4-0 four years ago. They were also whitewashed 3-0 in Sri Lanka last August in similar conditions prompting Ponting to issue a grim outlook for the team. "I think they'll struggle," the 42-year-old, who played 168 tests for Australia told Sky Sports Radio. "Every team that goes there struggles. It's become harder and harder for visiting teams to go to India. They probably make wickets to suit them more than ever before."

The last time India lost a test at home was against England at the end of 2012 and Virat Kohli's side have won their last five series to climb to the top of the test rankings. "I went there for a lot of tours and we obviously played in some tough conditions," added Ponting. "But the wickets were good for the first couple of days of the game and then they started to turn. "But now, even looking at what happened in Sri Lanka, whenever the Australian team tours anywhere on the subcontinent you can guarantee the wicket is going to turn, and turn quite a bit.”