Why Steve Smith not playing today: Why is Pat Cummins not playing today’s Sri Lanka vs Australia 3rd ODI in Colombo?

Dixit Bhargav | 19/06/2022
Why Steve Smith not playing today: Why is Pat Cummins not playing today's Sri Lanka vs Australia 3rd ODI in Colombo?

Why Pat Cummins not playing today: Australia have made three changes to their Playing XI for the third ODI today.

During the third ODI of the ongoing Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in Colombo, Australia captain Aaron Finch has won the toss and chose to bat. It will only be for the second time in the sixth match on this tour that the visitors will be batting first.

With a five-match series level at 1-1, both the teams would be keen to win this match and gain a lead. While Sri Lanka have an impeccable ODI record at the R Premdasa Stadium, Australia have won seven and lost nine out of their 17 matches at this venue over the years.

Why is Pat Cummins not playing today vs Sri Lanka?

Looking to return to winning ways, Australia have made three changes to their Playing XI bringing in all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green and fast bowler Jhye Richardson for batter Steven Smith, fast bowler Pat Cummins and spinner Mitchell Swepson.

While Marsh has recovered from a calf injury, he replaces the latest entry to the list of injured Australian players on this tour in Smith (quad strain). Green, who is expected to bowl in this match especially after being named at No. 8, will be playing only his fifth ODI.

As far as Cummins and Swepson are concerned, there is no official word on the duo but it appears that Cummins has been rested and Swepson has been benched under a strategic move to play an extra fast bowling option with handy batting skills in Colombo.

Talking about a solitary change made by the Sri Lankan team, Niroshan Dickwella has been included as a specialist batter in place of injured opener Danushka Gunathialaka (hamstring strain).

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
Australia Australia tour of Sri Lanka 2022 Pat Cummins Sri Lanka Steven Smith

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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