New Delhi: Australia’s stand-in skipper Steve Smith has suffered an injury during the Big Bash League and is doubtful to join the Test team for their preparatory camp in Dubai.
The right-hand batter sustained an elbow injury in his short stint with BBL side Sydney Sixers last week that could curtail his preparations for the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka, reports cricket.com.au.
Smith was named as the interim skipper to fill-in for regular captain Pat Cummins for the two-match series hat begins in Galle on January 29. He needs only a run to complete 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
The No.4 batter picked up the injury while throwing the ball in Sydney Thunder’s rain-affected match against at the Sydney Cricket Ground last Friday. Smith suffered injury in the same elbow Smith he was operated upon in 2019 though the latest problem is reported to be not too serious.
The 35-year-old scored two centuries in Australia’s 3-1 win over India in the Border-Gavaskar series. He scored 121 not out and 52 in his two BBL innings between Test commitments.
“He is believed to be visiting a specialist in Sydney on Tuesday with the results of that consultation to dictate when he joins the Test squad,” a report by cricket.com.au said.
Team reaches Dubai
Most of Smith’s national team-mates arrived in Dubai on Sunday and would participate for four days of training at the ICC Academy to get in tune with low, spin-friendly pitches that are expected to be rolled out by Sri Lanka at Galle.
Apart from Smith, left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann’s participation in the series is also doubtful as he suffered a broken right thumb during the BBL.
Australia hoped Kuhnemann could play a key role in their two matches against Sri Lanka. He underwent a surgery last Friday after being picking up the thumb injury while fielding a ball off his own bowling on Thursday.
“He will remain in Australia while the surgical wound heals further. He is planned to resume bowling this week with a view to joining the squad in Sri Lanka if he continues to progress well,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
Australia are eyeing to win a Test series in Sri Lanka for the first time since 2011.
Steve Smith sustained an elbow injury in his short stint with BBL side Sydney Sixers last week that could curtail his preparations for the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
