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Smith skippers with Cummins off with injury

Australia's fast-bowling Test captain absent with a quadriceps issue after declaring at lunch on day four 497 runs ahead of West Indies

Australia begin their push for victory in the first NRMA Insurance Test against West Indies minus a key bowler, with captain Pat Cummins sidelined due to soreness in his right quadriceps.

"Pat Cummins is experiencing some mild right sided quadricep soreness," a Cricket Australia statement read.

"He will continue to be monitored by team medical staff and his availability to bowl in the second innings will be assessed on an ongoing basis."

Cummins declared Australia's second innings at lunch, shortly after Marnus Labuschagne reached his second century of the match by adding an unbeaten 104 to the 204 he plundered in the first innings.

He was then absent as Australia took the field holding an insurmountable lead of 497, with Steve Smith leading the team and Scott Boland taking the regular skipper's place as a substitute fielder.

Cummins claimed his 200th Test wicket midway yesterday when he bowled rival skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, becoming the 19th Australia men's player to reach the milestone and the first to do so with an average of less than 22 runs per wicket.

Seed! Cummins takes 200th with perfect delivery

But the 29-year-old also spent some time off the field during the course of day three, with Smith assuming leadership duties in his role as vice-captain.

It is not clear if Cummins is in doubt for the second NRMA Insurance Test against the West Indies that begins at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

He missed the Adelaide Test against England last year – what would have been the second of his captaincy career – as a result of the COVID-19 protocols that were in place at the time.

Men's NRMA Insurance Test Series v West Indies

Nov 30 – Dec 4: First Test, Perth Stadium, 1:20pm AEDT

Dec 8-12: Second Test, Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (day-night)

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

West Indies squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Devon Thomas

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