Stand-in Australian captain Steve Smith has suffered an elbow injury just 10 days out from the first Test in Sri Lanka, potentially delaying his departure for a crucial pre-series camp.
The 35-year-old damaged his right elbow while throwing in the field for the Sydney Sixers in their washed-out Big Bash League derby against the Sydney Thunder.
Smith will seek further advice from a specialist this week, with the intention of flying to join the Test team in preparing to face Sri Lanka.
A number of the Australian squad have already arrived in Dubai for a camp at the ICC Academy to ready themselves for the likely spin-friendly pitches they will play on in Sri Lanka.
Smith was appointed Test captain for the first time since the Indian tour in 2023 to fill in for Pat Cummins, who is missing the series due to the impending birth of his second child.
If Smith’s injury is more serious than first thought, star No.5 Travis Head would be in the box seat to become Australia’s 48th Test captain.
Head was named as vice-captain for the series, with axed allrounder Mitch Marsh also previously appointed as a Test deputy.
Smith is not Australia’s only injury concern, with left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann set to miss his first Test opportunity in almost two years after surgery on his fractured right thumb.
Kuhnemann, who played three Tests in India in 2023, was injured playing for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL last Thursday.
He will stay in Australia until his surgical wounds heal, but is planning to start bowling again in the coming days.
Working in his favour, the surgery was on his non-bowling hand, giving him an outside chance of playing in Sri Lanka.
The first Test begins in Galle on January 29, with the second match from February 6.
Cummins, who was already missing the Tests to be his with his growing family, continues to recover from soreness in his left ankle suffered during the successful Border-Gavaskar home campaign.
A Cricket Australia spokesman said Cummins would “likely require a period of physical preparation and recovery”.
Cummins was picked in Australia’s preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, with chairman of selectors George Bailey confident the star quick would be fit and available for the 50-over tournament.
During a press conference last week, Bailey insisted he hadn’t asked Cummins about the results of scans on his ankle and was leaving him to deal with preparing for his newest baby.
