• Steve Smith will lead Australia in ODI series against India.
• Pat Cummins’ absence due to his mother’s passing.
• Cummins has not been replaced in the 15-man team.

As Pat Cummins stays at home due to the passing of his mother, Steve Smith will lead Australia in the next three-match ODI series against India.

After the second Test in Delhi, Cummins departed the India tour to be by his mother Maria’s side. Maria passed away from breast cancer last week, during play of the last game in Ahmedabad. In his absence, Smith captained Australia’s team in the past two Test matches.

“Pat won’t be coming back, he’s still taking care of what’s happened back home. Our thoughts are with Pat and his family as they go through that grieving process,” head coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Although Nathan Ellis was recently reinstated after Jhye Richardson was unable to play in the India ODIs due to a recurrence of a left hamstring strain while playing club cricket, Cummins has not been replaced in the 15-man team.

McDonald added that David Warner, who missed the previous two Tests because of an elbow fracture, is expected to rejoin the team. After being sent home during the middle of the Test series, Ashton Agar has also come back to India.

Glenn Maxwell returns to the field for the first time since breaking his leg severely in November, while Mitchell Marsh is also back in the mix following ankle surgery that ruined his home season after the T20 World Cup.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (C), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

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