Smith Poised for Grenada Test Return After Finger Injury Recovery

Steve Smith is in line to rejoin the Australian squad for the second Test against the West Indies in Grenada, commencing on July 3rd. This development follows Australia's convincing victory in the first Test in Barbados.

After sustaining a finger injury during the World Test Championship Final, Smith has been undergoing rehabilitation. He dislocated his finger and subsequently traveled to New York to focus on his recovery, which sidelined him for the first Test.

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

Captain Pat Cummins provided an update on Smith's condition, stating, "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 the Australian top order, which struggled in the first Test despite the team's overall success. With Marnus Labuschagne dropped, the top order faltered, being reduced to 22/3 in the first innings and 65/4 in the second.

Cummins acknowledged the top order's challenges, stating, "Of course, the top order would like to score some more runs. The challenge of Test cricket, especially for young players, is when you get thrown different conditions, you've got to find a way to be effective. That's the challenge for our young batting group."

The second Test marks a historic occasion as it will be the first-ever Test match played in Grenada.