Smith suffers blow on thumb ahead of Adelaide Test

Australia's senior batter Steve Smith suffered a painful blow on his right thumb while batting in the nets in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Smith was facing throwdowns from team-mate Marnus Labuschagne when the ball struck his right thumb. He immediately stopped his batting practice and attended to the injury as he looked in significant pain.

The Australian team physio quickly tended to Smith's injury before he headed to the dressing room for further treatment.

In a big relief for Australia, Smith

was back in the nets after a short break and resumed his batting practice.

The 35-year-old will be keen to get back among the runs in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, starting on Friday, after managing just 17 runs in the first Test in Perth, including a golden duck in the first innings.

Smith has struggled for runs in 2024, having made 230 runs in six Tests played this year at an average of 25 with just one fifty.

However, he will draw confidence from his strong record against India in Tests, tallying 805 runs from 10 Tests at an average of 50, with three centuries and a fifty.

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