Steve Smith’s tour of Sri Lanka is under an injury cloud after he injured his right elbow while throwing in the field for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League on Friday.
Smith is planning to join the Test squad in Dubai later this week following “further specialist input” which will determine the severity of the injury.
If he is ruled out, vice-captain Travis Head will be elevated to skipper after Smith was selected to deputise for Pat Cummins, who is remaining in Australia due to an ankle problem and the birth of his second child.
Nathan McSweeney’s hopes of a recall to the line-up would be boosted if Smith was unable to suit up in Sri Lanka with Peter Handscomb, who was close to making the original touring squad, the frontrunner to earn a late call-up.
Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann is recovering from surgery on Friday on a fractured right thumb suffered while playing for the Brisbane Heat last Thursday.
He will remain in Australia while the surgical wound heals further. He is planned to resume bowling this week with a view to joining the squad in Sri Lanka if he continues to progress well.
Kuhnemann played three Tests in Australia’s 2023 tour of India, his style proving effective in sub-continental conditions as he claimed nine wickets, including 5-16 in the second Test.
Off-spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy are already part of the touring party with uncapped 21-year-old Cooper Connolly able to provide left-arm spinners although he is considered more of a batting all-rounder.
(Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Queensland leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and NSW rising star Tanveer Sangha could be elevated to the Test squad if Kuhnemann is ruled out. Western Australia’s Corey Rocchiccioli could also be in the mix but as an off-spinner, the selectors will likely want someone who can turn the ball the other way from Lyon and Murphy.
Cummins is recovering from increased left ankle soreness which was aggravated by high workloads during the Test summer.
He will seek specialist rehabilitation advice this week and is likely to require a period of physical preparation and recovery.
The selectors will continue to monitor Cummins’ recovery leading into the Champion’s Trophy.
He has been selected to lead Australia in the one-day tournament in Pakistan next month.