Smith’s Ashes in balance

FORMER Australia captain Steve Smith’s participation in the Ashes could be in doubt as he needs elbow surgery.

His 12-month ban for a ball-tampering scandal will end on March 28.

But Smith, 29, is set to have surgery on January 15 and is expected to be in a brace for six weeks.

The ligament problem in his right elbow stopped him playing in the Bangladesh Premier League.

A spokesman for Cricket Australia said: “Return to play timeframes will be clearer once the brace has been removed.”

Meanwhile Rohit Sharma’s century was not enough to prevent Australia from claiming a 34-run win over India in the opening ODI in Sydney.

Half-centuries from Usman Khawaja (59), Shaun Marsh (54) and Peter Handscomb (73) helped the hosts to 288-5.

Sharma’s 133 made him only the fifth Indian batsman to pass 10,000 ODI runs.

Hashim Amla’s 42 not out helped steer South Africa away from trouble in the third Test against Pakistan.

The hosts ended the second day on 135-5 – a lead of 212.