India Vs. Australia: Injury Scare For Aussies; Steve Smith Suffers Sore Back

Australia were hit with another injury scare after former captain Steve Smith left Tuesday’s practice session with a sore back.

Smith suffered the injury while reaching down to pick the ball. Ahead of the first Test against India, he was late for Tuesday’s practice session, where he did not bat at all in the nets. Instead, the World No. 1 Test batsman was seen with the players doing the warms-ups and fielding.

Only 10 minutes into the session, Smith was seen gesturing to the support staff before walking gingerly off the field to the dressing room, as reported by Cricbuzz. The timing of the injury could not have been worse as the first Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar series is just two days away.

An Australian spokesman said that Smith only had a sore back, but would train on the eve of the pink-ball Test, according to ESPNCricinfo.

Smith’s injury has only added him to Australia’s long list of players that are either missing because of an injury or on compassionate grounds: David Warner (groin), Will Pucovski (concussion), Mitchell Starc (personal leave), Cameron Green (concussion) and even his nominal replacement Moises Henriques (hamstring).

While it is understood that Pucovski and Warner, who was initially drafted to open against India in the Test series, are aiming to return to the side for the Boxing Day fixture.

With Warner and Pucovski missing and Joe Burns struggling to score runs, Justin Langer is aware that he desperately needs all-rounder Cameron Green to recover in time for the Adelaide Test, which is starting Thursday.

"Fingers crossed (about Green's availability). The guys from Australia A arrived a couple of hours ago. He turned up with a big smile on his face. [There's a] massive opportunity potentially ahead for him to make his Test debut. He looks in really good spirits. He's got training tomorrow and Wednesday. Fingers crossed he'll be right to go -- he's a real talent," Justin Langer told Channel Seven.

Green was impressive in the first practice match between Australia A and the touring Indian side, where the youngster scored an unbeaten knock of 125, including 12 fours and one six. Apart from that, Green had also dismissed Indian openers Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw in the second innings of the match.