December 3, 2024: Steve Smith’s injury scare ahead of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India has raised concerns for Australia’s chances in the series.
Smith was struck on his right thumb while taking throwdowns from Marnus Labuschagne in the nets at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday. For a brief period, he appeared to be in significant pain, and medical staff had to examine his thumb. However, after a short break, Smith returned to the nets, and there were no signs of any lasting damage. The early signs suggest that he will be fit to play in the second Test, starting December 6.
While this injury scare may have been momentarily alarming, it’s important to note that Smith has been out of form for much of 2023. In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, Smith has averaged just 32.82 with only one century and four fifties to his name. His recent Test performances have also been underwhelming, with a modest average of 25.55 in 2023, highlighting the importance of his form as Australia attempts to bounce back from a heavy defeat in the first Test at Perth.
Australia, already missing senior pacer Josh Hazlewood due to a side strain, is also looking to regain its momentum after a crushing 295-run loss in Perth. Smith’s form will be key for the hosts, especially as they try to recover from their opening defeat in the series. The team will be hoping that the Adelaide pink-ball Test offers a fresh opportunity for redemption.
In addition to Hazlewood’s absence, the Australian squad has called up Scott Boland, Sean Abbott, and Brendan Doggett as replacements. All-rounder Beau Webster was added as cover for Mitchell Marsh, who has been declared fit for the second Test.
For India, the mood heading into Adelaide is confident after their dominant win in the first Test, aided by the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah. However, they will also be aware of the ghosts of their 2020 Adelaide Test defeat, where they were dismissed for a record-low 36 in the second innings. India will look to avoid a repeat of that disaster and aim to carry forward their strong momentum from the first Test.
With Smith’s injury scare behind him (for now), all eyes will be on how both teams approach the pink-ball Test at Adelaide, which has historically been a challenging and unpredictable contest.