Australia's Steve Smith Ruled Out with Neck Injury

Australian batsman Steve Smith has been sidelined due to a neck injury and will not participate in the ongoing Test series against South Africa, the International Cricket Council (ICC) reported.

Smith suffered the injury during the second Test match against South Africa in Gqeberha, which led to his late withdrawal from the series decider in Cape Town that started on Tuesday.

Scans revealed that Smith has a cervical facet joint injury, and he will not be considered for selection until Australia's next Test series against New Zealand in December.

Smith will continue to receive treatment and rehabilitation, with a full return to availability anticipated for the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand.

In his absence, Josh Inglis has been called up and made a strong impression, scoring 85* as Australia closed on 330/4 with a lead of just one run over South Africa in the first innings.

Inglis' teammate Matthew Renshaw praised his performance, saying he played a positive innings that helped relieve pressure after two quick wickets.

The first Test against South Africa was held from October 9-13 in Durban, with Australia winning by 214 runs, while the second Test took place from October 18-22 in Gqeberha, with South Africa winning by an innings and 31 runs.

Background

The ICC World Test Championship is a prestigious international cricket competition that features the top nine Test-playing nations.

Australia and New Zealand have a long-standing cricket rivalry, with their upcoming Test series set to be a highly anticipated event.

Context

Steve Smith is one of Australia's top batsmen, and his absence will be felt by the team.

The Australian cricket team has been dealing with injuries in recent times, and Smith's absence will test their depth and resilience.