Smith avoids surgery with finger injury following scans but faces race to be fit in time for West Indies Tests.
Steven Smith avoids surgery on the compound dislocation he suffered on the third day against South Africa at Lord’s.
After leaving the pitch, Smith immediately went to the hospital after hurting his right little finger after spilling a sharp chance that Temba Bavuma had offered.
He will be able to bat if he can handle wearing the splint, which he will need to wear for up to eight weeks even though the cut itself should heal in around two weeks. The wound was cleaned, stitched, and the finger was put in a splint. It would also be necessary to evaluate the effect on him on the field, since it might make it more difficult for him to field in the slips.
Even though it seems improbable, Australia’s first Test in the West Indies begins on June 25 in Barbados. Grenada and Jamaica will follow in July. Between the conclusion of the WTC final and the first Test, Smith was also scheduled to play a brief stint with the Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket (MLC).
“He’s positive,” Pat Cummins said. “I think it’s somewhere around the 10 days to two weeks. Then maybe you try and bat with a splint and see how that looks. I think it’s a bit of a wait and see. I’d say first Test, maybe unlikely, and then kind of go from there. It’s a bit early just to tell.”
Given the uncertainty surrounding the top order following Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Cameron Green’s failures in the World Test Championship final, it would be a huge boost for Australia if Smith could participate in the series.
Josh Inglis is the other backup batter in the current roster, and Sam Konstas is waiting in the wings for a possible recall.