Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey
Australia have some welcome news after injury worries ahead of their Test series in Sri Lanka. Captain and star batsman Steve Smith is progressing well after an elbow scare during the Big Bash League (BBL), while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann has recovered well after surgery on his dislocated thumb last week.
Both players are key to Australia’s chances. Smith remains one of the team’s premier players against spin, and his recent good form against India is cause for optimism ahead of another big year. Kuhnemann is arguably one of the first picked in the XI given the importance and success of left-arm spin at Galle International Stadium.
Injury updates for Australia: Smith & Kuhnemann progressing well
Steve Smith
Smith, who will captain the team in the absence of Pat Cummins, was cleared to join Australia’s training camp in Dubai following a scare. He had feared significant damage to his elbow – the same he had ligament surgery on in 2019 – when he felt pain throwing the ball during the BBL.
Smith caught a ball hit by David Warner during the washed out Sydney Smash on January 17, and then threw it back in-field before he crossed the boundary. “Straight away I thought ‘oh jeez, that hurt’,” Smith said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. He then thought back to his 2019 injury, but fortunately there was no major injury.
“That was a similar sort of feeling to when I ruptured my ligament back in 2019, so I was a little bit worried for a little bit,” Smith said. “But scans showed fortunately my ligament is still intact, the one that I got repaired. I’ve got a little bit of muscle damage, and it’s a small millimetre of the ligament on the bone that’s doing something.”
Smith doesn’t think the issue will affect his batting too much as he seeks his 10,000th Test run. Also, it is not expected that he will do much throwing given he will be fielding at slip in spin-friendly conditions. “In terms of batting I’m pretty comfortable I’ll be able to get into it and play with some tape on it,” he said.
Matt Kuhnemann
Kuhnemann copped a nasty blow to his right thumb during Brisbane Heat’s BBL match against Hobart Hurricanes on January 16. He suffered a compound dislocation which required surgery the next day.
Thankfully, Kuhnemann was able to bat and bowl in training this week and has been given the all-clear to travel to Sri Lanka.
“I’m feeling really good, really grateful with how it sort of progressed in the last week,” Kuhnemann said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “It’s [thumb] healed really well, and the surgery went excellent. Very fortunate and lucky so far that I’m sort of in a position to be able to bowl and bat and catch a few balls. Everything’s gone to plan so far. There’s not much pain at all any more, and no pain bowling and batting.”
The make up of Australia’s team is an interesting talking point ahead of the first Test on January 29. A turning track could prompt them to play three specialist spinners, with Kuhnemann key on a ground where the likes of Rangana Herath and Prabath Jayasuriya have enjoyed success.
