Reasons for Steve Smith’s Omission from Australia’s Squad for West Indies Tour

Australian captain Pat Cummins has stated that batter Steve Smith will be unavailable for the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados starting June 25 due to a finger injury sustained during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s.

Smith experienced a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding on the third day of the crucial match, causing him to miss the remainder of the game, which Cummins’ team ultimately lost by five wickets. He was taken to a hospital for x-rays, and fortunately, no surgery has been required for his recovery. However, he will need to take some time off to heal.

“I’d say the first Test is probably unlikely, and we’ll evaluate from there, but it’s still a bit too early to make a call,” Cummins mentioned following Australia’s unexpected loss to a South African squad that clinched their five-wicket victory on Saturday.
Smith was positioned closer to the stumps than usual when he dropped a catch from South African captain Temba Bavuma, who scored 66 in the crucial fourth innings, leading the Proteas to their first ICC trophy victory in 27 years.

Australia will kick off their three-Test series in the Caribbean in Bridgetown from June 25-29, with the remaining two matches taking place in Grenada and Jamaica.