Australia’s selection chair George Bailey has confirmed that Steve Smith will captain Australia in the Ashes until Pat Cummins is fit to do so, as the selectors moved to calm concerns around the fitness of Cameron Green.

On Friday, Green was withdrawn from the Australian ODI squad to face India and replaced with the in-form Marnus Labuschagne due to “side soreness”, a worrying sign after his first bowl in Sheffield Shield cricket following back surgery last year.

However, Bailey explained that scans had cleared Green of a strain, with medical staff and selectors concluding that avoiding a flight to Adelaide and playing in rounds three and four of the Shield for Western Australia was now his best buildup to play as an allrounder in the Ashes.

“It’s a very conservative decision around get

See Full Page