Steve Smith Poised for Grenada Test Return After Injury Layoff

Smith Set to Bolster Australia's Lineup for Grenada Test

Australia, fresh off their victory in the opening Test in Barbados, may soon receive a further boost with Steve Smith expected to join the squad before the second Test in Grenada.

Steve Smith missed the opening Test after dislocating a finger during the WTC final © Getty

Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, confirmed that Smith has resumed batting practice after recovering from the finger dislocation he sustained during the World Test Championship Final. Following the final, Smith traveled to New York to continue his rehabilitation, causing him to miss the first Test match.

Cummins stated, "He's had a few hits over in New York... I think his wound is looking good, so the next stage is to come over here and hit some balls in the nets. So we'll know more over the next few days."

The potential return of Smith could address concerns about Australia's top-order batting. While they secured a win in the first Test, the top four batsmen struggled, particularly in the absence of Smith. In the first innings, they were reduced to 22/3, and in the second innings, they were 65/4.

Despite these struggles, Cummins has expressed confidence in the team's young batsmen.

Cummins acknowledged the challenging nature of the wicket, saying, "You saw today how tricky a wicket that was, there weren't too many 50-run partnerships throughout the whole game. Of course, the top order would like to score some more runs... That's the challenge for our young batting group."

The second Test, which will be the first ever Test match played in Grenada, is scheduled to commence on July 3.