Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the second Ashes Test after he was deemed a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person, Cricket Australia said in a statement. The board further added that it will take a call on his availability for the third game of the series.

  Also read: Virat Kohli clears air about alleged rift with Rohit Sharma

“Australian captain Pat Cummins has been deemed a close contact of a person who received a positive Covid-19 test last night and is unavailable to play in the second Vodafone #Ashes Test. We anticipate that he will be available to play in the third Test at the MCG in Melbourne,” Cricket Australia tweeted on Thursday. 

Cummins was at an Adelaide restaurant on Wednesday and a person at the next table was identified as a positive COVID-19 case. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon were dining at the same restaurant by at a different table, which was outdoors. Hence the two will be free to play. 

Michael Nesar has been named as Cummins’s replacement and will make his Test debut. Steve Smith will lead the team. 

Also read: Ashes: Joe Root certain of Ben Stokes delivering a magical performance ahead of 2nd Test

Cummins not playing could be a huge blow for the Australian team that has already lost pacer Josh Hazlewood to a side strain. 

On Wednesday, Cummins named Australia’s playing 11 for the second match of the series. Swing bowler Jhye Richardson was brought in for Hazlewood. 

Also read: ‘Was contacted by BCCI at the last moment’: Virat Kohli on losing ODI captaincy

Australia’s playing XI for 2nd Ashes Test match: Marcus Harris, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson