Steve Smith's Captaincy Return: Why Ravi Shastri Predicts Ashes Brilliance

Cricket Australia on Monday confirmed that designated skipper Pat Cummins will miss the opening Test due to a lumbar bone stress injury in his back. With the speedster sidelined for the pulsating fixture, scheduled to begin on November 21, Smith will serve as the leader in Cummins' stead.

Smith led Australia from 2015 to 2018 in 32 Tests, winning 17, losing 10 and drawing five. After his stint ended, Smith was handed the captaincy mantle sporadically. He has enjoyed a prolific form, churning out 4,139 runs in 40 Tests, averaging 68.98, laced with 17 centuries and 14 fifties with a highest score of 239.

Shastri, who saw Smith captain Australia during his stint as head coach of the Indian team, has been impressed by the talismanic batter's ability to adapt to the prevailing circumstances and improvise when the situation demands it.

"What's always amazed me about Steve is his ability to adapt to different conditions and improvise, even in the middle of a series, sometimes in the middle of an innings. (Captaincy) will get the best out of him, that's for sure. He'll be tuned on, absolutely," Shastri said as quoted from Fox Cricket.

On Wednesday, Smith announced his return to competitive cricket with a sizzling 118 for New South Wales against Queensland at the Gabba in the Sheffield Shield. With 20 boundaries and a solitary six during his 176-ball outing, Smith has found the rich vein of form.

The 36-year-old had earlier cautioned their arch-rival, declaring that the Ben Stokes-led side would be greeted with green-top pitches, unlike the lifeless pitches in England.

"The conditions are going to be different here in Australia, aren't they?' I think the last three or four years have probably been as challenging for batters as we have seen for a long time, particularly the top order," Smith told reporters at the Gabba as quoted from Fox Cricket.

- ANI