Steve Smith sends injury scare ahead of Ashes 2023 opener

Team Australia has a major injury scare in their camp ahead of the opening Ashes 2023 Test, which gets underway on June 16. Veteran batter Steve Smith took a blow to the finger while batting in the nets which left him in some pain, as per Fox Sports. The extent of his injury is yet to be known. Here are further details.

Why does this story matter?

Smith is arguably the finest Test batter of his generation and his stellar numbers state the same. Moreover, he has enjoyed batting against England and in English conditions. He slammed a match-winning ton in the recently-concluded ICC World Test Championship final against India. Hence, his absence from any of the Ashes Tests could significantly dent Australia's chances.

A memorable series in Ashes 2019

Australia's last Ashes assignment on England soil was in 2019, which marked Smith's return to Test cricket after the sandpapergate fiasco. He celebrated his return in style, slamming 774 runs in four Tests at 110.57. These are the joint-sixth-most runs by a visiting batter in a bilateral Test series. The veteran batter smashed three tons and as many fifties in the tour.

His overall numbers on England soil

Across 16 Ashes Tests in England, Smith has mustered 1,727 runs at 59.55 (100s: 6, 50s: 7). Overall, he has scored 1,882 Test runs here at 60.7. His tally of seven Test centuries in England is the joint-second-most by a visiting batter. His last Test assignment on England soil saw him score 34 and 121 in the WTC final at London's Kennington Oval.

A look at his stellar Test record

Smith has raced to 8,947 runs in 97 Tests at a sensational average of 60.04. Among batters with at least 5,000 Test runs, only Donald Bradman (99.94) has a better average. Meanwhile, Smith has struck 31 Test tons and 37 fifties. Ricky Ponting (45) and Steve Waugh (32) are the only Aussies with more Test centuries. No other active cricketer owns more Test tons.