Australian great Steve Smith will return to the Test line-up for the Grenada clash against the West Indies after more than a couple of weeks, following recovery from the finger injury he sustained in the World Test Championship (WTC) line-up. Smith had dislocated his right little finger while taking a catch standing up a bit close in the slips and was fitted with a splint. However, as per his own prediction, Smith will play with a splint but he will play for Australia as the visitors named their playing XI for the second Test.
"For me, it'll just feel like training as normal, I think," Smith said a couple of days before the start of the second Test as he joined his teammates in Grenada after a week of hitting balls in New York.
"I don't really feel any pain or anything. (It's) just getting used to the splint on and the slight limited movement. It's not too bad, I've got a lot of movement there now, so that feels good. Hitting the ball felt completely fine," Smith added. The splint will be thinner for Smith for the gloves to fit, but the Australian No. 4 won't be able to field in his traditional position, slips and admitted that fielding in front of the wicket will be a bit weird for him.
"Fielding some balls in front of the wicket will probably be the strangest thing for me, I don't think I've ever done that in a Test match. Fielding at either probably mid-on or mid-off or fine leg is a bit different to standing at the second or first slip," Smith added.
Smith will replace Josh Inglis in a straight swap for the second Test. Australia have retained Sam Konstas as well, despite a poor outing in Barbados, while the pace trio also remains the same for the tourists. Australia are 1-0 ahead in the three-match series and the West Indies will be keen to make a strong return.
Australia's playing XI for second Test: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
