Smith Eyes Grenada Test Return After Finger Injury

Following their decisive victory in the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados, Australia may see a further boost with Steve Smith potentially returning to the squad for the second Test in Grenada.

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

Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, confirmed that Smith has resumed batting practice after recovering from a dislocated finger sustained during the World Test Championship Final. Smith had travelled to New York after the final for rehabilitation, causing him to miss the first Test match.

Cummins stated, "He's had a few hits over in New York, which I think was with a tennis ball and an incredi-ball. 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."

Despite securing a win, Australia's top order struggled in Smith's absence during the first Test, particularly after Marnus Labuschagne was dropped. They were quickly reduced to 22/3 in the first innings, and 65/4 in the second. Cummins, however, expressed confidence in the team's young batsmen.

Cummins noted the challenging nature of the wicket, stating, "You saw today how tricky a wicket that was, there weren't too many 50-run partnerships throughout the whole game. 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 match, a historic first for Grenada, is scheduled to commence on July 3.