Steve Smith Updates on Finger Injury After World Test Championship Setback

Steve Smith's Injury Update

London [UK], June 15: Australian cricket star Steve Smith has shared details regarding the injury he sustained to his finger during the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's.

During the intense match, Smith was rushed to the hospital after suffering a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding in the slip position. The incident occurred when South African captain Temba Bavuma edged the ball towards him. Smith attempted to catch it with quick reflexes but ended up injuring his finger in the process.

With Australia set to face the West Indies in three away Tests starting June 25, there are concerns about whether the 36-year-old will be fit for the tour. Smith addressed these worries following the initial assessment of his injury, stating he is still hopeful for a return in the Caribbean.

“I will be in a splint for eight weeks now, and I may be able to play with it in a couple of weeks. It will depend on my functionality and what I am able to do, so it was probably the best result I could have hoped for,” Smith explained after Australia's five-wicket defeat to South Africa, as reported by the ICC.

Smith's missed catch proved detrimental for Australia, as Bavuma, who was on just two runs at the time, went on to score 66 runs off 134 balls, forming a crucial partnership with Aiden Markram. During the incident, Smith was positioned close to Bavuma and wore a helmet to protect himself from the unpredictable bounce of the pitch.

“I was standing pretty close with the helmet on, and as we saw throughout the game, a lot of nicks went short of first and second slip. The plan was to stand pretty close, and I lost sight of it with the angle that Mitchell Starc was bowling, and it kind of went inside Bavuma's hip,” Smith recounted.

“I didn’t quite see it until really late and it kind of dipped on me a little bit late too as well. It was tricky; it didn’t go in my hand very well, and fortunately, there is no break there, and it just split the skin and dislocated it, which made me feel pretty ill at that stage,” he added.

Smith has mixed feelings about playing at the 'Home of Cricket,' reflecting on his past experiences. In 2019, he was struck on the head by a bouncer from England's Jofra Archer.

“I have a love/hate relationship with this place now. I have had some good memories here and some not so good ones as well. Getting hit in the head by Jofra (Archer) in 2019 and now having my digit knocked off out here yesterday as well. But it’s a wonderful place to play cricket, and I have enjoyed it here, and it was a real good game of cricket again,” he concluded.