Doubt over Steve Smith ahead of first Test

Suggestion of more drama for the Aussies on the eve of the first Test with Steve Smith leaving the field to seek treatment at training.

Steve Smith at Adelaide Oval before Tuesday’s net session. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

There was more drama for the Australians on the eve of the first Test, with Steve Smith hurting his back in a fielding drill. However, there was good news too, with exciting all-rounder Cameron Green almost certain to make his debut against India.

Smith, the world’s best batsman, was unable to have a net session and spent hours in the treatment room – a time he would normally use facing bowlers with a Test two days away.

Smith is an obsessive trainer who faces thousands of balls in the lead-up to a Test match and will shadow bat in his room through the night.

The team is in the middle of an injury crisis.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said he was expected to bat in the nets today and another team source played down the incident, but his absence is an obvious concern.

Smith apparently hurt his back bending down to fetch a ball early in the training session.

The team is in the middle of an injury crisis. David Warner has been ruled out with a groin injury and Will Pucovski with concussion while young star Green has to pass a fitness test before being included.

Steve Smith was a notable absentee during Australia’s warm up. Walked out later and then left with the physio #AusvIND pic.twitter.com/09LynJ9rGD

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 15, 2020

It is still no clearer who will open the batting in the match, with Joe Burns in a terrible patch of form and Marcus Harris flown in as cover for Warner.

Matthew Wade is a likely candidate to be pushed up for a couple of matches to partner with Harris or Burns, but the suggestion Tim Paine could fill the role as a stop-gap measure is not as mad as it sounds.

If it was a one-off Paine could open the batting, a move that would cause the least disruption to the top six. However as he found out early in his first-class career, being a wicketkeeper and an opening batsman does not work in the long run.

Langer dismissed speculation that Marnus Labuschagne would open saying he had proved himself too important since moving to the No.3 position.

“Marnus won’t be opening. He’s done an amazing job at No.3. Steve Smith does an amazing job at No.4 and we’ll try to stay as settled as possible whilst Davey (Warner) is injured,” Langer said. “They’ve done a great job in those positions. He won’t be opening. At the moment we’ve got Joe Burns and Marcus Harris here who are the openers, so got some tough decisions to be made but as I’ve said over and over, tough decisions are good decisions. Means there’s competition for spots.”

Langer had an intensive session with Burns in the nets yesterday.

Green seems almost certain to make his debut in the match after bowling and batting in front of coaches and selectors.

Greg Chappell told The Australian in October that the tall 21-year-old is the best batsman he has seen since Ricky Ponting.

And that’s not taking into account that he is a seriously good bowler. Some believe he has the potential to be one of Australia’s greatest all-rounders.

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Paine tells a story that when he and Wade first faced Green in the Sheffield Shield they walked from the field full of wonder at how good he was. The younger members of the squad, who had come through under-age teams with the West Australian, told the pair they should wait and see him bat.

Cameron Green’s bowling is nearly as impressive as his batting Picture: Getty Images Images)

Paine came away shaking his head at the extraordinary talents of the young player who has been averaging over 70 in Sheffield Shield in the past 18 months.

Green is in the process of returning from a stress fracture and is on limited bowling rations while he gets used to a remodelled action.

He has, however, been taking wickets, even with the limited opportunities available.

Langer said selectors were yet to make a call on incumbent opener Burns, but his observation that “you don’t lose your talent overnight, but he also understands runs are the greatest currency” could spell the death knell for the batsman who has made one score over 20 in the last nine innings.

Australia captain Tim Paine may fill the role of a stop-gap opener. Picture. Phil Hillyard

As for Green, the only hurdle is his fitness and from all reports it is not a concern, despite the young player suffering a concussion while bowling on Friday night.

“If he is passed fit he will definitely play,” Langer said. “It was a very unusual incident that happened with him so if Cameron gets through the protocols and gets through training and is feeling good … I saw him last night and he had a big smile on his face.”

Former captain and selector Chappell told The Australian in October that Green had to play Test cricket this year.

“This is a serious player, this is a special player,” he said. “He is the best young player I’ve seen since Ricky Ponting. He is our next superstar.

“I’ve been telling anyone who will listen for a couple of years now. I saw him hit a couple of shots when he was 17 one day and it was obvious he was a batsman.

“You just have to pick him now before he breaks his back and he can’t play. My greatest fear about him is that everyone gets excited about his bowling and the kid can bowl, he is a rare talent there as well. But you know that if he bowls 20 to 30 overs a game for Western Australia he will break.”

The concern with Green coming in is who will make way when David Warner returns from injury.

There is a lot of respect for Wade within the team.

“He’s great,” Langer said. “We talk about Steve Smith as Mr Fix It in our T20 side, Matthew Wade has almost become Mr Fix it. He’s so well regarded.

Matthew Wade has become a respected member of the team Picture: Getty Images

“He was the vice-captain for a couple of games there when Pat (Cummins) was away in the white ball team. He’s so well respected. He’s just very tough mentally and physically tough. Got a great attitude to the game. He’s an unbelievable team man.

“His development within Australian cricket over the last few years. He did what we talked about over the last few years. He banged so hard on the door to get a chance and who ever would have thought that he was from where he’d come from to where he is now – he’s in (the Australian team) in all three forms of the game.

“He’s a very, very important part of our team so he’s the batsman who as we saw against New Zealand last year fights hard, he has good footwork, he’s tough and he can also counter-attack and we know how aggressive he can be.

“He’s a very, very important part of our batting line up and our team in general actually because of his leadership.”