Steve Smith has recovered from a nasty dislocated finger and will return for Australia’s second Test against the West Indies this week at the expense of Josh Inglis, skipper Pat Cummins said.
Smith hurt his finger while fielding in the slips during the World Test Championship final at Lord’s three weeks ago and was taken to hospital.
It sidelined him for the first Test in Barbados that Australia won by 159 runs, and he was sorely missed with the side’s top order failing to fire.
“He’s ready to go, the finger held up well,” Cummins said on Wednesday at St George’s in Grenada, with the 36-year-old set to bat with a splint. He will slot back in at number four after Inglis failed to grab his opportunity, making just five and 12. While Inglis misses out, selectors have kept faith with teenager Sam Konstas as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner and the under-performing Cameroon Green at three, resisting any urge to bring back the axed Marnus Labuschagne, who remains with the squad.
The team is otherwise unchanged, with the potent combination of Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood once again spearheading the attack.
“He was really happy, particularly batting,” Cummins added of Smith, who is unlikely to field in his usual slip position. “Fielding we still potentially need to manage it a little bit. “So he might not be in the slips too often — maybe for spin he’ll be okay, but (for the) quicks he might need to wait another week.” Australia have never played a Test at St George’s, and only once previously visited for a one-dayer in 2008. Cummins said it was an unknown and having vice-captain Smith back to help him problem-solve was a bonus.
“That’s one of his great strengths,” he said of the 117-Test veteran. “He’s scored runs all over the world and that means that while he’s not played a game here, he seems to work out pretty quickly what needs to be done and where your scoring areas are. “Of course, having that knowledge is going to be helpful, particularly for the guys that haven’t really played too many Tests or first-class games on similar wickets.”