Ashes 2019: Blow for Australia as Steve Smith is ruled out of third Test

Steve Smith (Twitter)

Leeds, Aug 20: In a big blow to Australia, premier batsman Steve Smith has been ruled out of the third Ashes Test against England beginning on Thursday at Headingley.

With a turnaround time of three days between the two Tests, it was always going to be tough one for Smith to be ready in time and recover from concussion and Cricket Australia on Tuesday confirmed that he has been ruled out of the Headingley Test, reports ESPNcricinfo.

Smith, who had struck twin centuries in the Ashes 2019 opener which Australia won in Birmingham, was on 80 not out on the fourth afternoon of the Lord's Test when he was struck in the neck by a steepling 92.4mph (148 kmph) bouncer from Archer following which he had to leave the field.

The 30-year-old had initially passed a concussion test and returned to complete his innings before he was eventually dismissed for 92. He woke up with a headache and some dizziness on the final day of the drawn Lord's Test and mandatory subsequent testing revealed his condition had deteriorated.

The development means that Marnus Labuschagne, who became the first concussion sub in Test cricket in Australia's second innings at Lord's, will take his place in the XI.