Australia vs West Indies Test: Steve Smith joins Pat Cummins in Australia Day date stance

Test opener Steve Smith has joined Pat Cummins’ controversial call to change the date for Australia Day, revealing a conversation with Scott Boland helped shape his view.

Steve Smith has revealed a conversation with Scott Boland has shaped his view around a potential date change for Australia Day.

A day after Australian captain Pat Cummins said he backed a shift for the controversial public holiday, vice-captain Smith, himself a former Test skipper, provided qualified support for the move.

Smith, speaking at the Gabba on the eve of the second Test against the West Indies, said had recently addressed the matter with teammate Boland, just the second Indigenous man to play Test cricket for Australia.

Australia Day, January 26, falls on the second day of the Windies Test this year. The date marks the anniversary of British settlement in 1788, which carries painful connotations for Indigenous Australians.

Steve Smith has joined Pat Cummins in calling for a change of date for Australia Day. Picture: Getty Images

“I was speaking to Scott Boland about this just the other day,” Smith said.

“As Australians, you want all Australians to celebrate that day, I suppose. And Australians don’t the way it is at the moment, which maybe that is the way forward to have all Australians celebrating on that day.”

Cummins had on Tuesday said he believed the date should change to avoid alienating Indigenous Australians.

“I absolutely love Australia,” Cummins said.

“It is the best country in the world by a mile.

“We should have an Australia Day, but we can probably find a more appropriate day to celebrate it. Once you start realising Jan 26 and why it is chosen, Australia Day is meant to be a celebration of everything Australia and our history. (So) we could choose a better date.”

Boland said last year that Australia Day was not a day for celebration.

Smith revealed a conversation with Scott Boland helped shape his view around Australia Day. Picture: Getty Images

Cricket Australia’s decision to schedule a men’s Test over Australia Day was itself contentious, with star Australian women’s all-rounder Ash Gardner criticising the decision.

CA has for several years not used Australia Day in its marketing material for matches played on January 26 and will take a low-key approach to marking the day on Friday, seeking to acknowledge the strong feelings held around the date and pushing inclusivity and respect.

“We are not in any way boycotting Australia Day, we’re just mindful in our communications that it means different things to different people,” CA chief Nick Hockley told 2GB on Tuesday.

“We appreciate that many Australians celebrate Australia Day and absolutely love watching the cricket on that day.”

Originally published as Australia vs West Indies Test: Steve Smith joins Pat Cummins in Australia Day date stance