Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Steve Smith struck in right hand at Adelaide net session | Cricket News

Having already lost Josh Hazlewood to an injury, and a cloud of uncertainty around Mitchell Marsh’s availability for the second Test, on Tuesday Steve Smith suffered a severe blow to his finger during a practice session at Adelaide. Smith suffered a blow during a net session ahead of the pink-ball Test against India that starts on Friday.
According to reports Smith was batting alongside Maruns Labuschagne when he was struck on his right hand. Smith who has been struggling for runs off late, immediately cut short his net session and was attended to the team’s physio. The seriousness of Smith’s injury isn’t clear as of now, but it is bound to cause a new headache in the Australian camp.
However after a while, Smith did return to the nets, but the extent of injury still remains unclear.
Having entered the series as overwhelming favourites, the huge defeat they suffered at Perth as put focus firmly on Australia. The batting unit is especially under the spotlight with Hazlewood openly criticising the collapse in the first innings.
Smith, who is centre to Australia’s revival plans, has been battling hard to come out of the slump. He has now gone 23 innings without a century and should his form continue to remain a cause of concern, then the problems could keep mounting for Australia. Apart from Smith, even their No 3 Labuschagne has been struggling for runs.
Australia go into the day-night Adelaide, having lost successive home Tests (against WI and India) and will hope their record in pink-ball Tests at the venue remains intact.