Steve Smith returns as the Australian name to play XI for his second test against the West Indies
Australia Locked their play xi for the second test West IndiesIt is scheduled to begin on July 3rd at the National Cricket Stadium in St. George, Grenada. He led 1-0 in the three-match series, Pat Cummins And his subordinates aim to seal the contest with another commander’s performance.
The Australian is trying to maintain that advantage in a venue they have never played before, securing a comprehensive 159-run victory in their first Test at Barbados.
Steve Smith returns after recovering from his injury
One of the major highlights of the announced Xi is the return of the seasoned batter Steve Smith. The 35-year-old missed the opening game with a dislocated finger he supported during the World Test Championship Finals. Smith’s absence is felt in the mid-term, and his comeback is expected to add stability to the Australian batting lineup.
Captain Cummins confirmed Smith’s availability and said the star batter came unharmedly throughout the training session. In a statement on cricket.com.au, he said: “He’s ready to go. His fingers were well lifted. He was really happy, especially during the batting.”
Smith’s batting appears unaffected, but Cummins said the fielding position could be tweaked slightly.
“He may not slip very often. Maybe he’ll be fine for the spin, but for a quick he may need to wait another week.” Cummins has been added.
St. George: A new challenge for Australians
The test will be the first time that it will be the scenic St. George Park in Grenada, where only four tests have been held so far. The latest came in 2022 when the West Indies hit England with 10 wickets. The surface there has historically provided good support to pace bowlers. Visitors are eager to exploit them in balanced attacks.
Australia’s adaptability is tested as this is a rare fixture on the Caribbean cricket calendar.
Australia XI for the second test against the West Indies
Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood