Steve Smith will captain Australia in the last Test against India

According to officials, Steve Smith will once again lead Australia against India in the fourth Test as Pat Cummins stays at home to care for his unwell mother.

Cummins departed the trip before the third Test and was initially supposed to come back, but he has decided to stay in Australia because his mother is receiving hospice care. Cricket Australia issued a brief statement saying that Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the fourth Test against India in Ahmedabad to remain in Australia with his family and Steve Smith will lead Australia in the series' final Test. Australia suffered crushing defeats in the first two Tests under Cummins' direction, but when Smith took over, they made a stunning comeback to win the third Test by nine wickets. Cummins' participation in the three-match one-day international series that comes after the Tests in India has also not yet been decided.