Smith Eyes Grenada Test Return After Injury Recovery

Following Australia's swift victory in the opening Test against the West Indies in Barbados, the team could receive a further boost with the potential return of Steve Smith for the second Test in Grenada.

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

Smith, who dislocated his finger during the World Test Championship Final, missed the first Test as he flew to New York for rehabilitation. However, Australian captain Pat Cummins has confirmed that Smith has resumed batting practice and is in contention for the upcoming 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."

The Australian top order struggled in Smith's absence during the first Test, despite securing a win. They were reduced to 22/3 in the first innings and 65/4 in the second. Marnus Labuschagne was notably absent, adding to the instability. Cummins, however, expressed confidence in the team's young batters.

"You saw today how tricky a wicket that was, there weren't too many 50-run partnerships throughout the whole game," Cummins said. "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 3rd.