Steve Smith has admitted to being “a little bit worried” after sustaining a freak elbow injury that delayed his departure for Australia’s training camp in the UAE ahead of their Test series in Sri Lanka.
The 35-year-old, named captain for the tour in Pat Cummins’ absence, faced a real possibility of missing the two Galle Tests.
However, scans eased concerns, revealing he avoided a serious injury. Smith is now easing back into training to ensure he’s fit for the series opener on January 29.
The injury, sustained during a Big Bash League match while throwing from the deep, bore similarities to the ligament damage Smith suffered in the 2018-19 season during his international ban.
That injury required surgery, but this time, the ligament remains intact. However, Smith does have some muscle damage and a minor issue with the ligament attachment to the bone, which will require careful management over the coming weeks, particularly while fielding.
“I was playing in the Big Bash the other night,” Smith explained. “I caught Davey [Warner] over the boundary, lobbed the ball back in, and threw it in quite hard. Straight away, I thought, ‘Oh geez, that hurt.’ It felt similar to when I ruptured my ligament in 2019, so I was a bit worried. But the scans showed my ligament is still intact. There’s some muscle damage, and a small part of the ligament is affected. It’ll likely keep me from throwing for a while, but I’m comfortable batting.”
Smith, who is on the verge of becoming the 14th player to reach 10,000 Test runs, began a modified training program in the UAE.
His regimen includes physiotherapy and light running, with plans to resume batting soon.
“It’s feeling a lot better than it was a few days ago,” he said. “I’ve regained full movement and hyperextension in the elbow, which is a positive sign.”
He plans to start batting cautiously, using tape to limit hyperextension—a technique he successfully employed during his 2019 comeback.
“I’ll start light, avoiding expansive shots initially. I used tape in 2019 during the IPL and World Cup, and it worked well. I’m confident it’ll hold up this time, too.”
Smith’s measured return reflects his determination to lead the team and perform in the pivotal series, ensuring his batting prowess remains unaffected by the injury.