The WTC final and Ashes series are taking place amid fears the future of the long-format game could be threatened by the growth of global franchise Twenty20 cricket, with top players set to be offered year-round contracts across multiple leagues
"Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023," Smith, 33, said in the video posted on his social media pages on Monday.
Starc, rattled the Indian batting with his pace and swing to bundle out the opposition for 117 in 26 overs in Visakhapatnam
Paine led Australia between 2018 and 2021 after Steve Smith was stripped of the captaincy in the wake of the "Sandpaper-gate" ball-tampering incident against South Africa.
Smith will stand in for Pat Cummins, who returned home after leading Australia in the first two Test matches to care for his ailing mother who died last week.
India also confirmed their place in the World Test Championship final against Australia in June following Sri Lanka's two-wicket loss to New Zealand in Christchurch earlier in the day
Smith led Australia between 2014 and 2018 before he was stripped off the honour following a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa
"If we are able to topple that mountain, that would be huge. I think if we can win in India, that would be bigger than an Ashes series," Australia batter Steve Smith said ahead of the first Test in Nagpur.
Australia batsman Steve Smith dampened down talk of his retirement on Friday after suggesting it was by no means certain that he would be still playing test cricket next season.
The WTC final and Ashes series are taking place amid fears the future of the long-format game could be threatened by the growth of global franchise Twenty20 cricket, with top players set to be offered year-round contracts across multiple leagues
"Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023," Smith, 33, said in the video posted on his social media pages on Monday.
Starc, rattled the Indian batting with his pace and swing to bundle out the opposition for 117 in 26 overs in Visakhapatnam
Paine led Australia between 2018 and 2021 after Steve Smith was stripped of the captaincy in the wake of the "Sandpaper-gate" ball-tampering incident against South Africa.
Smith will stand in for Pat Cummins, who returned home after leading Australia in the first two Test matches to care for his ailing mother who died last week.
India also confirmed their place in the World Test Championship final against Australia in June following Sri Lanka's two-wicket loss to New Zealand in Christchurch earlier in the day
Smith led Australia between 2014 and 2018 before he was stripped off the honour following a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa
"If we are able to topple that mountain, that would be huge. I think if we can win in India, that would be bigger than an Ashes series," Australia batter Steve Smith said ahead of the first Test in Nagpur.
Australia batsman Steve Smith dampened down talk of his retirement on Friday after suggesting it was by no means certain that he would be still playing test cricket next season.
Australia, fuelled by hundreds from Travis Head and David Warner, crushed England by 221 runs in the third one day internationals to sweep the series in front of largely empty stands at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday.