Australian batting star Steven Smith is making progress in his recovery from a neck injury that forced him to miss the final Test against South Africa. The 37-year-old is targeting a return to competitive cricket in the fifth round of the Sheffield Shield later this month, ahead of Australia's upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
Smith was diagnosed with an injury to his cervical facet joint after experiencing neck pain during the second Test against South Africa at St George's Park. The problem affected his batting during the second innings, forcing him to move down the order.
Although there was initial confidence within the Australian camp that Smith would recover in time for the third and final Test at Newlands, a nerve-block injection on the morning of the match failed to provide sufficient confidence that he could play. As a result, he was ruled out of the series decider.
Smith Consults Specialist in New York
Following Australia's tour of South Africa, Smith travelled to New York instead of returning directly home with the rest of the squad. The experienced batter owns an apartment in the city and regularly spends time there.
During his stay, Smith consulted medical specialists to identify the underlying cause of his neck discomfort. He is expected to return to Sydney next week as he continues his rehabilitation.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey provided a positive update on Smith's recovery, expressing hope that the batter would be available for New South Wales in Sheffield Shield Round 5.
"Just chatting to him in New York, he's had some specialist appointments there and some progress, I think, in terms of getting to the root of what might have been causing him some trouble in South Africa," Bailey said on Monday.
"Hopefully that continues to trend in the right direction. His plan is he'll be available for Shield [round] five."
Difficult South Africa Tour for Smith
Smith endured a challenging tour of South Africa, managing just 83 runs across four innings. Apart from his neck injury, he also experienced a concussion scare during the Durban Test.
His absence from the final Test was a significant setback for Australia, given his experience and importance in the middle order.
The injury has also raised questions about his workload and long-term availability, particularly with several important international assignments approaching.
Australia Confident Smith Will Continue His Test Career
Despite Smith previously stating that he approaches his Test career on a series-by-series basis, Bailey indicated that there were no signs suggesting the batter was considering retirement.
The Australian selector confirmed that the team management continues to view Smith as an important part of its future plans, including next year's tours of India and England.
"Yeah, absolutely. I certainly haven't had any discussions with him to suggest otherwise," Bailey said when asked about Smith's future.
Bailey added that Australia were working towards understanding the root cause of the injury and developing a strategy to manage it if the problem returns.
He also highlighted Smith's importance to the Australian team, describing him as a quality player whose presence makes the side stronger.
"He's an absolutely quality player and we're a better team with him in it," Bailey said.
The selector further expressed confidence that Smith still has plenty to offer Australian cricket, particularly with several exciting international series on the horizon.
Sheffield Shield Return Could Be Crucial
Smith's potential return for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield will be an important step in his recovery.
Getting some red-ball cricket under his belt would help him regain match fitness and confidence before Australia's next Test assignment against New Zealand.
For Australia, having their experienced batter fit and available will be a major boost. The team will now hope that Smith's treatment in New York continues to deliver positive results and that he can return to the field without further complications.
