Steve Smith, the stand-in captain for Australia on the tour of Sri Lanka, is currently dealing with an elbow injury but is expected to join the pre-tour camp in Dubai later this week, according to Cricket Australia (CA).
The injury occurred while Smith was fielding for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League on Friday, and he was seen wearing an elbow brace on his right arm, which had previously been operated on in 2019.
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Despite the injury, Smith is preparing to join the Test squad in Dubai after further specialist input, and updates will be provided as they become available.
In other news, left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is recovering from surgery on his fractured thumb, which he sustained while playing in the Big Bash League.
He will remain in Australia while the surgical wound heals, with plans to resume bowling this week and potentially join the squad in Sri Lanka if he continues to progress well.
Kuhnemann made his mark in the Test series against India in early 2023, picking up a five-wicket haul, and his impressive performances in the Sheffield Shield for Tasmania earned him a spot back in the Australian Test team.
The two-match Test series against Sri Lanka is set to begin on January 29 in Galle, followed by the second game at the same venue on February 6.
The series will be followed by two ODIs in Colombo on February 12 and 14.
Meanwhile, Pat Cummins, who has been named as Australia’s captain for the Champions Trophy, is recovering from increased left ankle soreness, which was aggravated by high workloads during the Test summer.
Cummins, who opted out of the Tests in Sri Lanka for the birth of his second child, will seek specialist rehabilitation advice this week and is likely to require a period of physical preparation and recovery.
“CA added that left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is recovering after a surgery on his fractured thumb suffered while playing in the Big Bash League (BBL), while regular skipper Pat Cummins recovery from left ankle soreness will continued to be monitored following a specialist advice.”
“The NSP will continue to monitor Cummins’ recovery leading into the Champion’s Trophy,” concluded CA.
