No rest at the wicket, as Smith again gets captaincy call-up

Steve Smith admits his propensity to lose sleep through angst hasn't improved during his dozen years as an international cricketer, and there's good reason why the curious circadian rhythms of Adelaide's day-night Test match might trigger even greater anxiety. 

Not only do the pink-ball playing hours of 2.30pm-9.30pm ensure players rarely hit the hay before midnight before rising mid-morning next day, but Smith has learned to expect the unexpected in the lead-up to Tests in Adelaide.

Last year, he surfaced around 9am on day one to find he'd missed two phone calls from his captain Pat Cummins as well as a message from then coach Justin Langer to tell him Cummins was out of the match due to COVID-19 protocols and that (he) Smith was captain.

Today it was closer to 10am on match eve when he was advised Cummins would again be absent from the second NRMA Insurance Test against West Indies because he had succumbed to a quadriceps strain, with Smith once again summoned to stand-in.

The major difference between those last-minute substitutions – apart from the very different nature of Cummins' setback circumstances – is that Smith has at least a day to get his head around his most recent return to captaincy.

So much so that, with doubt surrounding Cummins' availability since last weekend when he first reported soreness in his right leg, Smith's wife (Dani) was able to return to the couple's home in Sydney and retrieve the former skipper's captain's blazer in good time for tomorrow's coin toss.

Last year, having been caught unawares by the news Cummins had dined in close proximity to someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID and therefore had to automatically quarantine as a close contact, Smith was forced to don his taller teammates' formal attire for pre-match duties.

Which left him looking more like a boy who had fished his dad's suit jacket out of a dress-up box than the man who had led his country in 34 Tests from before being served with a 12-month suspension in 2018.

"We thought it might have been a possibility that Pat wasn't going to play, so there's a bit more time to prepare for this game than last year," Smith told reporters at Adelaide Oval today.

"That was a bit chaotic."

The 33-year-old can also cite far more recent experience in leading Australia men's team than was the case heading into last summer's Ashes contest, with Cummins spending several hours off the field at Perth Stadium on day four of last week's first Test, during which time Smith was in charge.

Smith confirmed today that while the sudden switches in leadership - such as when Cummins returned to the field late on that day to resume the reins – happen with seamless transition, there is no uniform captaincy template that both men feel forced to fit.

As a result, when he takes the helm tomorrow, he will be guided by the statistical data and strategic details formulated by Cummins and Australia's coaching staff, but will captain in the same manner that has earned him 19 wins (and six draws) from his previous 35 Tests in charge.

That represents a winning ratio of 54.3 per cent, third only behind Steve Waugh (71.9 per cent) and Ricky Ponting (62.3 per cent) in terms of success rate among Australia men's Test captains to have skippered on more than 25 occasions.

"I have to do it my own way, I can't try to be someone else," Smith said today.

"When something like this happens, we've obviously got plans in place for certain (opposition) batters but ultimately it's whatever the game entails, and what needs to be done.

"I'm pretty chilled.

"I took over the game here last year and thought it worked pretty smoothly.

"Whenever they want me to stand in and do a game here and there, I'm more than happy to, but Patty's the man so I'll help him in any way that I can.

"When he's not fit and ready, I'll stand in and do what I need to do."

As an example of his preparedness to fill the position on a needs-only basis, Smith pointed to the changeover in Perth last week where whatever plans and processes he put in place while Cummins was off the field were shelved the minute the leadership hierarchy was restored.

"It's Pat's team, so as soon as he came back out it's like 'it's all yours, go for it'," Smith said.

Given Smith has himself been troubled by injury during the current NRMA Test series – the self-inflicted nerve complaint he felt in his left hip as the result of a massage treatment gone awry – it would not have surprised if he was also forced from the field to seek medical treatment.

But despite being inconvenienced when scoring a double century in Australia's first innings at Perth, and clearly hobbled while fielding in the slips cordon throughout both of his team's bowling stints, Smith claims the trouble has eased.

"I'm good, I woke up this morning and my hip's as good as it's been in about ten days, so I'm happy with that," he said today.

"I was pretty uncomfortable last game, particularly in the field more than anything and hopefully I can squat a little bit lower than I did last game.

"It was just a random flare up, because I pinched my nerve and did that myself."

Should the problem flare again, during the upcoming Test, Smith isn't sure who would take over the captaincy in his absence from the field as no formal replacement for him as vice-captain has been made.

But he noted the team boasts a wealth of leadership experience, including Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood who have both led Australia in ODI cricket, while Travis Head (South Australia) and Usman Khawaja (Queensland) are currently serving state skippers.

Far clearer in Smith's mind is his understanding of long-term captaincy options, having previously been banned from holding the office across all formats for two years as a result of the sandpaper incident in South Africa.

The world's fourth-ranked Test batter, and the only Australia men's Test player after Don Bradman (with more than 20 appearances) to average above 60, ruled himself out of the ODI captaincy when Aaron Finch retired earlier this year.

And he made no indication he was interested in the T20 job, which Finch held during the recently completed World Cup in Australia.

But Smith concedes that now he's closer to the end of his career than the start, he doesn't harbour any definite captaincy aspirations and is instead happy to help out when needed, such as tomorrow's second Test.

"I’m pretty relaxed," Smith said when asked if his ambitions had been rekindled.

"I'm also getting older, I'm 33 – 34 next year, and I'm not going to play forever.

"Im just doing what I can to help, and if I have to stand in for a game here and there, I'll do that."

Adelaide Oval's pitch should provide a similar level of surety when Smith walks out for tomorrow's coin toss with West Indies counterpart, Kraigg Brathwaite.

Head curator Damian Hough today revealed the pitch for this Test was only lowered into place last Thursday morning, having been prepared in its trough at the adjacent No. 2 ground and relocated in the immediate aftermath of the Guns 'n Roses concert at the ground on November 29.

"The one thing we won't do (is) compromise the Test pitch," Hough said, confirming the grass would again be cut to 8mm and that he expected it to behave very similarly to the tracks used in past pink ball Tests as well as recent Marsh Sheffield Shield matches.

"So the concert was here on the 29th, stage was off at 6-6.30am on Thursday morning and we were driving the pitch out as soon as they got it off.

"It's been a challenging summer for all the turfies around the country, just with the weather.

"We've had some good weather leading in, which means we've been able to get some really good compaction in and our usual preparation which has been nice.

"The covers haven't had to be used really for the preparation, so we expect it to be what it's been for the last few years."

Hough also noted seamer Scott Boland, who has been brought into Australia's XI to replace Cummins in the bowling attack, has enjoyed success on that sort of surface at Shield level.

Boland's most recent appearance in a Test career that has yielded 18 wickets at a remarkable average of 9.55 was in a day-night fixture at Hobart earlier this year, and he is quietly confident he can adequately fill the sizeable shoes of his absent skipper.

"I had a really good chat to Pat last night at training, and he outlined what his plans were and where his expectations were," Boland said today.

"It was nice to know from him if he was going to be out, I would be in.

"When you're in such a good environment like this, and you get to bowl with guys in the nets like Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, you will always improve.

"And bowling to some of the best batters in the world, it has helped my game and hopefully (tomorrow) I can bowl well again."

Men's NRMA Insurance Test Series v West Indies

First Test: Australia won by 164 runs

Dec 8-12: Second Test, Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (day-night)

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

West Indies squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Marquino Mindley, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Devon Thomas

Buy #AUSvWI Test tickets here