Australia announce Head, Cummins as vice-captains for Sri Lanka Tests

Head and Cummins replace Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh as the new vice captains. © Getty

Travis Head and Pat Cummins have been named the new co-vice captains of Australia for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. They replace Josh Hazlewood, who's been ruled out of the series due to injury, and Mitchell Marsh, who hasn't been picked after an indifferent series against India.

Australia announcing two vice-captains had raised eyebrows not so long ago, but the fact that they have had to replace one of them, thanks to poor form and not injury, raises further questions about the leadership crisis that awaits Australia after Tim Paine.

Cummins was impressive with the bat and ball against India, and has been touted as Australia's future leader by Shane Warne among others. With his form and fitness, Cummins has shown how indispensable he's to this rebuilding Australian unit and how his certainty in the Playing XI makes his vice-captaincy a no-brainer.

"Pat is a fine young man who displays strong leadership though his actions on and off the cricket field. He is also a well respected and popular member of the dressing room, who consistently lives and demonstrates the team's values and standards," National Selector Trevor Hohns said.

Head too was impressive, although India found a way around him as the series progressed. But he remains one of the few certainties in Australia's middle-order going into the first Test in Brisbane. In addition to that, he was deemed an "impressive candidate" when interviewed during the leadership identification process conducted last year and this additional responsibility of being a vice-captain should allow him to grow on the sidelines until Australia is ready for life beyond Paine.

"Travis is an experienced State Captain who has had a reasonable amount of success with South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. Travis was also Captain of the Australia A One Day team on their tour of India,' Hohns said. "He is a respected member of the dressing room, he consistently demonstrates care for his teammates, provides valuable contributions in team meetings, and embodies the values of the team."