Steve Smith ruled out of Cape Town Test with neck injury

Steve Smith will not feature in the third Test against South Africa, the match that will decide the series for Australia. According to the official update announced on the morning of the match, the 37-year-old has not fully recovered from a neck injury.

Smith was expected to return to Cape Town for the first time since the infamous "Sandpapergate" scandal in 2018. However, he has been left out of the squad.

The Australian team had been closely monitoring Smith's condition since he was injured during the second Test defeat in Gqeberha. Whether he would be physically ready remained uncertain until the last moment.

Australian captain Pat Cummins confirmed the late decision at the toss. Cummins said he was not happy with the state of the player's neck.