(Photo: Getty Images)
By Harvey Burgess
Australia captain Steve Smith has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand because of an ankle injury.
With vice-captain David Warner rested, wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade will take over as skipper for the three-match series, which begins in Auckland on Sunday.
Smith suffered a suspected injury to his medial ligament while fielding in the final match of Australia’s recent 4-1 series win over Pakistan.
Smith will undergo scans to confirm the extent of the damage to his ankle and it has been suggested by Australia’s medical staff that he will take around seven to ten days to recover.
Trevor Hohns, the interim chairman of selectors, said: “We had a few options as captain in the absence of Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner but Matthew Wade was the logical option given his leadership experience with Victoria and the fact he is very much a leader within the group already.”
Captain Smith said of his injury: “It’s a bit of a shock. I just landed really awkwardly on my foot and I felt something straight away. I was a little bit concerned, I’ve never really injured my ankle like that.”
Australia’s Test squad will travel to Dubai to take part in a training camp ahead of the four-match series against India, which begins on 23 February.
