Smith Set for Test Return After Innovative Baseball Cage Recovery

Steven Smith is eyeing a return to the Australian lineup for the second Test against the West Indies, having utilized an unconventional training method during his recovery from a dislocated finger. The injury forced him to miss the first Test match of the series.

Smith was absent during the first Test. © Getty

To expedite his recovery, Smith engaged in a rigorous training routine within a baseball batting cage in New York. This allowed him to gradually test his injured finger by hitting tennis balls, soft balls, and ultimately cricket balls in a climate mirroring the heat and humidity of the Caribbean.

"Underneath this bridge there was a batting cage," Smith revealed. "It was ideal because it was pretty warm, like 36 degrees Celsius, so it was good to be in the shade. My mate actually told me about it and he was able to throw me a few balls there."

The injury occurred during the World Test Championship final against South Africa, where Smith suffered a compound dislocation to his right little finger. Heavily bandaged and with restricted movement, he was sidelined for the first Test in Barbados, spending his downtime in his New York apartment.

Now, the veteran batsman reports his finger feels recovered and he anticipates participating fully in training in Grenada.

"Everything felt good... I just got my stitches out and I've got a smaller splint on now, so it'll be easier getting my hand in the glove," Smith explained. "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 confessed that he found his time in Barbados, while injured, to be rather dull. "I was honestly just bored here," he stated. "I couldn't do anything, I couldn't sweat, and I was sort of stuck in the room doing nothing. I've got the apartment four-and-a-half hours away. Dani was back there, the dogs were there... so I went back to sit in the air conditioning and watch the boys play."

While he needs to demonstrate his fitness at training, Smith is preparing for some potential changes to his usual fielding positions.

"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 mid-on, mid-off or fine leg, a bit different to standing at second or first slip."