Smith has been nursing an elbow injury that forced him to pull out of the national side for the series against West Indies and Bangladesh.
Follow Us
With the ICC World Twenty20 just a few months away, cricketers have been doing their best to keep in shape to the best of their abilities. A high level of fitness and form is essential for any player if they want to make a mark in the tournament. One would assume that Australian superstar Steve Smith would also be looking to do the same, but the batter has his priorities elsewhere. For a lot of Australians, The Ashes series holds more value than the T20 World Cup. Steve Smith is one of those people. The batter said that he was ready to sacrifice his place in the Australian side for the T20 World Cup if it meant that he would be fit for the iconic series against England, as his main focus was Test cricket.
“There’s still a bit of time between now and (the T20 World Cup), and I’m tracking okay at the moment. It’s slow, but I’m going okay. I’d love to be part of the World Cup, for sure, but from my point of view, Test cricket, that’s my main goal, to be right for the Ashes and try to emulate what I’ve done in the last few Ashes series I’ve been involved in,” Steve Smith told cricket.com.au.
Smith has been nursing an elbow injury that forced him to pull out of the national side for the series against West Indies and Bangladesh. It must be noted that the cricketer has not ruled out playing for the Aussies at the World T20. However, he mentioned that he would give up his place in the competition if it meant that being completely fit in time for The Ashes.
“I want to put myself in a position where I can have that kind of impact. If that means not partaking in the World Cup, then we’ll have to go down that path, but hopefully, we don’t have to go there,” Smith said.
It has been a while since the Aussie has featured in competitive cricket. The last time fans saw him play was with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but has been rescheduled to be hosted in the UAE. Smith’s team was in a good run of form in the tournament but the Aussie did not look at his best.
“I still wasn’t quite 100 percent (during the IPL), it was still bothering me a bit, and I was playing over there medicated, taking some painkillers and anti-inflammatories every time I batted,” he concluded.
Rishabh Pant's explosive last-over blitz ignites IPL 2024 amid T20 World Cup comeback talks
