Australia boosted by positive fitness update ahead of Sri Lanka series and Champions Trophy
Amidst a number of injury issues, Australia received a positive update on Monday, giving the squad a much-needed boost.
As the Australian squad prepares for a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, which will be swiftly followed by the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, the squad has been strengthened by news that Steve Smith’s elbow injury is not as bad as first feared.
The 35-year-old, who was named Test captain for the Sri Lanka series in the absence of Pat Cummins, picked up a right elbow injury whilst attempting a throw during a Big Bash League fixture on Friday.
But he has been subsequently cleared to play, as revealed by Cricket Australia.
“Steve Smith has undergone a specialist medical review today following his right elbow injury sustained during the Big Bash League. He has been cleared to rejoin the Test squad and travel to Dubai.
“Smith is expected to return to batting later in the week to begin his preparation for the first Test against Sri Lanka.”
Speaking on his arrival in Dubai to link up with his Australian teammates in training, Smith revealed that he initially feared that he had suffered a repeat of the serious elbow ligament injury he suffered back in 2019.
“It was in the Big Bash game, I caught Davey over the boundary and lobbed it back into the field. I threw that ball back in quite hard and straight away I thought ‘oh jeez that hurt a little bit’ – it was a similar sort of feeling to when I ruptured my ligament back in 2019, so I was quite worried for a little bit.
“But fortunately scans show that the ligament is still intact, the one that I got repaired.
"I’ve got a little bit of muscle damage and a small millimetre of a ligament on the bone that’s doing something. It’s probably going to stop me throwing for a little while, but in terms of batting I’m pretty confident that I’m going to be able to get into it and play with a bit of tape on it.”
Smith is set to ease back in slowly ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka, but is expecting to get back up and running with the bat in the nets in the coming days:
“I’m just recovering at this stage. I’ve come down, had a little bit of a run around the ground, watched the boys have a bit of a net, we’ll see how things go. Maybe get into some batting tomorrow or the day after, unsure yet, we’ll just see how my elbow pulls up.”
The news comes as a boost to an Australia side who are already without captain Cummins due to an ankle injury.
Cricket Australia have confirmed that the National Selection Panel will be keeping a close observation on Cummins, who has been named as the captain for the upcoming ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025.
Also in recovery is left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, who sustained a fractured thumb while playing in the Big Bash League earlier this week.
Kuhnemann, who was named in Australia’s Test squad for Sri Lanka, is expected to resume bowling this week with a view to joining the squad in Sri Lanka if he continues to progress well.
The tour of Sri Lanka is the final series of the current World Test Championship cycle, with Australia guaranteed a place in June’s final against South Africa.
Australia tour of Sri Lanka, Schedule:
1st Test, 29th January-2nd February 2025, Galle
2nd Test, 6th-10 February 2025, Galle
1st ODI, 12 February 2025, Galle
2nd ODI, 14 February 2025, TBC