With Pat Cummins on paternity leave, Australia will be led by former captain Steve Smith in the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

The 35-year-old Smith previously captained the team after serving a two-year ban for his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

Cummins is out of the series due to the birth of his second child, while fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has also been ruled out as he recovers from a calf injury.

Spinning all-rounder Cooper Connolly will be called up for his first Test, while opener Nathan McSweeney retains his place from the first three Tests of the recent series against India.

McSweeney, 25, scored 72 runs in six innings and has been replaced by 19-year-old Sam Constas.

Connolly, 21, has played two One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals for Australia and is yet to take a wicket in either format.

He joins Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhneman and Todd Murphy as spinners, while Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Shaun Abbott are the leading fast bowlers.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has also been dropped after a poor series against India, with Beau Webster, who replaced him in the final Test in Sydney, retaining his place.

The first Test will be played in Galle on January 29.

Australia’s series win against India has qualified them for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s from June 11-15.

Australia Test squad for Sri Lanka: Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster