MELBOURNE: As the Australian squad prepares for the upcoming two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, which will be swiftly followed by the ICC 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 (CA).

“Steve Smith has undergone a specialist medical review today following his right elbow injury sustained during the Big Bash League,” the CA said in a statement on Tuesday. “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 team-mates 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,” said the batter. “But fortunately scans show that the ligament is still intact, the one that I got repaired.”

The news comes as a boost to an Australia side who are already without captain Cummins due to an ankle injury.

CA have confirmed that the national selection panel will be keeping a close observation on Cummins, who has been named as the captain for the Champions Trophy.

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.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2025