Usman Khawaja recalled to bat in place of Steve Smith, who is unwell and out of the third Test
Steve Smith has been sensationally ruled out of the third Ashes Test with a recurrence of the superstar batter’s inner ear issues sidelining him on Wednesday morning.
Usman Khawaja has been recalled and will bat at No.4 in a dramatic last-minute twist for the home side as a devastated Smith departed Adelaide Oval 20 minutes before the toss, won by Australia who opted to bat first.
Australia XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue
Smith has suffered nausea and dizziness symptoms leading into the third NRMA Insurance Test, forcing him to miss Monday’s main training session.
He had brief fitness test this morning in the nets but was ultimately ruled out. Australia expect him to be fine for the fourth Test in Melbourne.
“He came and gave it a crack this morning but didn’t think he was going to get up for this one so he has headed off home,” captain Pat Cummins said at the toss. “(We’re) pretty lucky we got someone like Usman who can step right in.”
Smith, who has experienced vestibular, or inner ear, issues before, had a lengthy discussion with Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald before play, and then cut a distraught figure as it became clear he would not play.
While England look set to bowl through the hottest part of the Test – temperatures will hit 35 degrees today and 39 tomorrow – they will be thrilled they will now not have to worry about dismissing the Aussies’ best bat.
Smith missed a World Cup match against Afghanistan in 2023 with similar symptoms, while he also reported feeling unwell ahead of Australia’s Test tour of Pakistan in 2022 after hitting his head while attempting an outfield catch.
In 2020, he scored an ODI century against India despite, on the morning of the match, requiring a doctor to perform a series of head twists on him (known as the Epley Manoeuvre) to remove ‘ear rocks’ that cause vertigo.
It is an extraordinary lifeline for Khawaja, who has been listed to bat at No.4 after it appeared his Test career was over only 24 hours earlier.
The veteran is fit again after back spasms dogged him through the first part of this series. But Australia had overlooked him when announcing their team on Tuesday with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald backed in to carry on their opening partnership.
Even with Khawaja now returning to the XI, the Head-Weatherald union will remain at the top of Australia’s order with Khawaja slotting into the middle in Smith’s place.
Khawaja, who turns 39 during this match, shared an embrace with batting coach Michael di Venuto on the outfield after Australia’s pre-match huddle.
There were no late issues for the visiting team, who have brought back Josh Tongue for Gus Atkinson as the only change to the side that lost by eight wickets in Brisbane.
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad (second Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
