"Hope he doesn't have a brain fade again" - Fans have mixed reactions to Australia naming Steve Smith as captain for IND vs AUS 3rd Test

Former Australian skipper Steve Smith will lead the Test team in the absence of Pat Cummins in the third Test against India in Indore, beginning on March 1. Cummins had to head back to Australia after the end of the second Test due to family reasons.

But the Australian captain released a statement on Friday, explaining that he had decided to stay back in Australia to be there with his mother, who is sick.

Here's what the statement read:

"I have decided against returning to India at this time as my mother is ill and in palliative care. I feel I am best being here with my family. I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received from Cricket Australia and my team-mates. Thanks for your understanding."

Fans on Twitter had mixed reactions to Steve Smith being named the captain. Some trolled him for the Sandpapergate episode, while others felt that this could make Australia more competitive and could make the last two Tests more exciting.

Here are some of the reactions:

---

Will Australia compete better under Steve Smith?

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 has so far been one-way traffic as India have already retained the trophy with a 2-0 lead after two Tests. Many questions were raised about Australia's batting and Pat Cummins' captaincy, with the way they just capitulated with the bat in their second innings of both Nagpur and Delhi Tests.

With Smith as the stand-in skipper and the likes of Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc likely to be fit for the third Test, there's a debate on whether the visitors might compete better than how they have so far.

It was Steve Smith's Australian side that beat India in Pune during the Test series in 2017 and drew in Ranchi. Only time will tell whether a change in captaincy will bring new luck for the visitors.