Already struggling with a host of injuries, Australia has suffered from another potential hurdle to their lead-up for the first Test against India as their prolific batsman Steve Smith suffered from back soreness and left the training session early at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
According to a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Smith trained for about 10 minutes before leaving the arena for the dressing-room shaking his left arm.
The report quoted an Australian team spokesman as saying that the right-handed batsman was receiving treatment for back soreness after reaching down for a ball, and would not return to training until Wednesday at the earliest.
The 32-year-old failed to appear for batting practice in the nets for more than an hour of what was Australia’s main pre-match session ahead of the first game of the four-match series starting which begins from Thursday.
Australia has suffered from a host of injuries in the past month. Marcus Stoinis (side), David Warner (adductor), Ashton Agar (calf and finger), Mitchell Starc (back and ribs), Josh Hazlewood (back), Aaron Finch (glute), Moises Henriques (hamstring), Will Pucovski (concussion), Cameron Green (concussion), Jackson Bird (calf), Harry Conway (concussion) and Sean Abbott (calf) have suffered injuries at some point or the other in the last 30 days.
Henriques has been added to the Australia squad for Pucovski. Also, Marcus Harris has been recalled to the squad following the injury to Warner. Both Pucovski and Warner are targeting a return in the second Test beginning December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but their participation remains in doubt.
