Steven Smith is still in a fight against time to be fit for Australia’s next Test series in the West Indies, despite avoiding surgery for the compound dislocation he sustained 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.
Barbados will host Australia’s first Test match in the West Indies on June 25. 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).
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.
Green faced just five balls in the Test, falling twice to Kagiso Rabada in his maiden time batting at No. 3, while Khawaja’s lacklustre performance extended his struggles against pace bowlers over the past 12 months. After being shifted to open, Labuschagne had two starts, at 17 and 22, but he didn’t present a strong enough argument to be kept in the position.
Josh Inglis is the other backup batter in the current roster, and Sam Konstas is waiting in the wings for a possible recall.
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