Smith Eyes Return for Grenada Test as Australia Seeks to Strengthen Batting Lineup

Steve Smith, the seasoned Australian batter, is poised to rejoin the squad ahead of the second Test against the West Indies in Grenada. This potential inclusion comes on the heels of Australia's dominant victory in the first Test in Barbados, concluded in just three days.

Steve Smith sidelined for the first Test due to a finger injury © Getty

Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, confirmed that Smith has resumed batting practice. He had been recovering from a dislocated finger sustained during the World Test Championship Final, which forced him to miss the first Test. Following the final, Smith traveled to New York to continue his rehabilitation.

Cummins elaborated on Smith's recovery: "He's had a few hits over in New York... I think his wound is looking good, so the next stage is to come over here and hit some balls in the nets. So we'll know more over the next few days."

The Australian top order experienced difficulties in the first Test, despite securing a win. This was partly attributed to Marnus Labuschagne's absence. In the first innings, they were precariously placed at 22/3, and in the second, the top four were dismissed with only 65 runs on the scoreboard.

Cummins, however, expressed confidence in the team's young batting talent. "You saw today how tricky a wicket that was, there weren't too many 50-run partnerships throughout the whole game," Cummins noted. "Of course, the top order would like to score some more runs... That's the challenge for our young batting group."

The second Test match, a historic first for Grenada, is scheduled to commence on July 3.