Australian cricket fans were left stunned this week when it was announced that Test star Steve Smith had been excluded from the list of players offered contracts by Cricket Australia.
The decision to leave Smith out of the list of contracted players was met with surprise and confusion, as the former captain had been a mainstay of the Australian Test team for the past decade. Smith had been a key contributor to the team’s success, and his absence from the list of contracted players was seen as a major blow to the team’s chances of success in the upcoming Test series.
The decision to exclude Smith from the list of contracted players was reportedly made due to his recent poor form in Test cricket. Smith had struggled to make an impact in the recent series against India, and his lack of form had been a major concern for the Australian selectors.
Despite the decision to exclude Smith from the list of contracted players, Cricket Australia has made it clear that the door is still open for the former captain to make a return to the Test team. Smith is still eligible to be selected for the upcoming Test series, and the selectors have made it clear that they will be monitoring his form closely.
The decision to exclude Smith from the list of contracted players has been met with mixed reactions from the cricketing community. While some have praised the selectors for making a tough decision, others have argued that Smith should have been given the chance to prove himself in the upcoming Test series.
Only time will tell if Smith will be able to make a successful return to the Test team, but for now, the former captain will have to wait and see if he can make a return to the Australian Test team.