IND v AUS 2020: Steve Smith returns to the nets after injury scare
The Australian Cricket Team and fans alike can breathe a sigh of relief .as Steve Smith has returned to the nets before the historical pink-ball clash against India.
Clouds were looming over Steve Smith's participation when he walked off from a practice session on Tuesday looking a bit uncomfortable. An Australian spokesperson had later confirmed a sore back.
In a video posted by Cricket Australia on Twitter, Steve Smith can be seen taking a throwdown.
Australian skipper Tim Paine had earlier played down the concerns. He called Smith missing Tuesday's practice a 'blessing in disguise' and alluded towards his inclusion in the first Test.
Steve Smith's impact against India
The news assumes significance because of the sheer impact Steve Smith has had against India over the years. When it comes to Test cricket, India is the 31-year-old's favorite opponent.
Among the teams with at least six Test matches against him, Steve Smith's average is highest against the Indians. The right-handed batsmen have gleaned 1429 runs with an average of above 84, including seven centuries and three fifties against India.
Not only this, India apparently brings the best out of Steve Smith in ODI cricket as well. With six minimum matches as the parameter, Smith has his best average (62.39) and strike rate (105.05) against the Men in Blue.
The last time these two sides vied for the famed Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Smith wasn't available owing to the sandpaper-gate saga. The Baggy Greens immensely missed their former captain dearly as India trounced them 2-1 in their backyard.
In the 2017 edition, Steve Smith was the Man of the Series with his three tons in four Tests. With the first match being a day/night encounter, Australia would have missed him even more. Smith is also the world's second-highest run-scorer in all pink-ball cricket.
The fans are drooling over the impending contests between Smith and the Indian pace battery. Jasprit Bumrah and Steve Smith haven't come across in Test cricket before and the pacer will be raring to own the biggest scalp from the opponent team.
This and many other mini-battles will kick off on December 17 in Adelaide.