NEW DELHI: Steve Smith is set to captain Australia in this year's Ashes if regular Test skipper Pat Cummins is unable to recover from his back injury, confirmed selection chairman George Bailey.
Cummins' injury has already ruled him out of the upcoming white-ball series against India, starting with the first ODI in Perth on Sunday.
He is also expected to miss the opening Ashes Test, beginning November 21 in Perth, in which case former skipper Smith would take over the captaincy.
"If Pat doesn't play, Smudge (Smith) will captain. That's business as usual for us. That formula has worked," Bailey was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.
"Regardless of whether he's playing, Pat's keen to be around because if he's not playing he'll be rehabbing and getting ready and bowling, so he'll be with the team anyway.
"So that information flow and working together as captain and vice-captain will remain the same," he added.
Smith returned to Australia from New York earlier this week and resumed batting at the nets at Cricket New South Wales headquarters the day after his arrival.
He is set to feature in the next two rounds of the Sheffield Shield for NSW, with matches scheduled in Brisbane and Sydney.
"Steve landed and he was at Cricket NSW the next day batting. So he'll do his thing. We've tried to tailor everyone's prep to suit them and certain obligations around that, but very comfortably he'll be ready to go," Bailey said.
(With PTI Inputs)
