Australia v South Africa: Steve Smith rocked by injury scare on eve of SCG Test

Intrigue surrounds three of Australia’s best ahead of two significant tours. Could it be their last Test on home soil? Plus, an update on Steve Smith’s injury.

Steve Smith recoiled in pain after being struck in the nets but is ready to take part in a Test which may become far more sentimental with the passing of time.

A string of senior players including David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Smith, will head off for iconic Test tours of India and England with a cloud of intrigue over how long they will continue to play the five day game.

Understandably no player is being specific about their time frame in the game as they prepare the third Test against South Africa at the SCG.

But the message for fans is clear – enjoy it while it lasts.

Steve Smith shows off his injured finger after copping a blow in the SCG nets. Picture: Getty

There is a chance that the exceptional group of players who have carried Australia to the top of the world Test rankings will never play as a team on Australian soil again and that they will reflect on this Test as their final collective home celebration.

We know this Test will be a hugely significant milestone for some players. We just don’t know which ones. And neither might they at this moment.

Smith, who was struck a painful blow on the fingers during his final net session but was cleared to play, told News Corp before the start of the season that he had an open mind on his future.

“I’m 34 next year,’’ Smith said.

“I am not sure how long I will play for. We’ll see. There are a lot of Tests in the next year for us, so hopefully I can get a few more in that period of time and go from there.”

“I’m getting old myself, so I’m probably the next one to retire,” he half-joked. “So we’ll see.”

Skipper Pat Cummins said after the MCG Test win over South Africa that this was the best Australian team he had played in but they were in a sweet spot that would not last forever.

These are boom times. The Test match game is strong in Australia and getting even stronger. In many less wealthy nations it is faltering.

The SCG Test may be Smith’s last in Australia. Picture: Getty Images

This Test match is set to see the present and future overlap for Australia with Ashton Agar likely to start as a second spinner and Matt Renshaw a strong chance of batting number six.

If the selectors go with Renshaw it will be the completion of a notable success story after he played his last Test during the infamous Sandpapergate series almost five years ago.

He has grown both as a man and a batsman since then.

A dry, patchy SCG wicket has created the expectation that this Test could be a throwback to a bygone era where spinners dominated as the deck crumbled.

Bring it on.