Why have Australia Named Two Vice-Captains for the India Series?

Australia has announced its squad for the remaining two Test matches against India, with a notable leadership setup featuring both Travis Head and Steve Smith who are both listed as vice-captains under skipper Pat Cummins for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The 15-member squad sees Nathan McSweeney making way for Sam Konstas, who recently made headlines by smashing the fastest team fifty in Big Bash League history during his debut. Injured pacer Josh Hazlewood has been replaced by Jhye Richardson, with Sean Abbott also joining the squad.

History of Australia’s Co-Vice-Captaincy

Australia having two vice-captains is not new. Cummins himself served as a joint vice-captain alongside Head when Tim Paine was captain. In 2019, both were appointed Test vice-captains, succeeding Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood. However, Head briefly lost the role after being dropped during the 2020-21 home series against India but was reinstated three years later.

Continuing their trend of appointing co-vice-captains, Australia has now promoted Head to the leadership group alongside Smith, a practice that dates back nearly six years. “Having Trav on board as co-vice-captain is really exciting,” Cummins remarked. “While Steve and I won’t be around forever, this is part of future-proofing the team and creating opportunities for other leaders.”

Smith remains the senior vice-captain, stepping into the captaincy role in Cummins’ absence, a role he has filled seamlessly in the past.

Head’s promotion coincides with an extraordinary run of form in this series. The left-hander has amassed 409 runs at an impressive average of 81.80, including scores of 89, 140, and 152 in his last four innings. His performances have further solidified his position as one of Australia’s premier batters and a key leader in the squad.