Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, two key figures in the Australian cricket team, have raised concerns ahead of the second Test against India due to injury scares sustained during practice.
As Australia prepares for the crucial day-night match at Adelaide Oval, both players experienced incidents that could impact their availability for the game.
Steve Smith Injury Details
Steve Smith faced a significant scare when he was struck on his right thumb while taking throwdowns from Marnus Labuschagne during a net session. The impact caused him to pause briefly, visibly wincing in pain.
Medical staff quickly attended to him, assessing the injury and checking his thumb’s movement. Although Smith left the nets temporarily, he returned shortly after to continue batting in a different net, which suggests that the injury may not be serious.
However, given his recent struggles with form—having scored just 17 runs in the first Test at Perth—his fitness is crucial for Australia as they look to bounce back from a heavy defeat.
Marnus Labuschagne Injury Details
Marnus Labuschagne also encountered an injury scare during practice when he was hit by a rising delivery from bowling coach Daniel Vettori.
While he appeared to be in discomfort initially, Labuschagne showed resilience by resuming batting shortly after the incident.
His ability to shake off the injury is encouraging, but it adds to the growing list of concerns for Australia as they prepare for this vital Test.
Context of the Series
Australia is already dealing with injury issues, notably with fast bowler Josh Hazlewood ruled out due to a side strain and uncertainty surrounding all-rounder Mitchell Marsh’s availability.
The absence of key players would further complicate Australia’s plans as they seek to regain momentum in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series after suffering a 295-run loss in the first Test.
Smith’s and Labuschagne’s performances will be critical if Australia hopes to challenge a strong Indian side that has shown formidable form.
Both players have been under pressure, with Smith’s last century dating back to July 2023 and Labuschagne also struggling with consistency.
