Steve Smith, the experienced player of the Australian national cricket team, is undergoing a concussion assessment on the fourth day of the first Test match against South Africa in Durban after a ball from Anrich Nortje hit his helmet.
Details of the Incident
The incident occurred on the fifth ball of the thirteenth over during Australia's second batting innings on Monday. Nortje's ball struck Smith's helmet and was directed towards the fine leg area. The team's physiotherapist and doctor assessed Smith's condition on-site, and after changing his helmet, he continued batting.
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Smith managed to score 27 runs off 41 balls before being dismissed by Simon Harmer at the long-on position. While South Africa began their second innings, Smith was not on the field, and substitute fielder Michael Neser took his place. Smith had a very good performance on the third day of the match, making several outstanding catches in the slip area.
Smith's Health Status and Implications
The Australian cricket team has announced that further updates regarding Smith's health status will be released today or tomorrow. Given that Smith has completed his batting duties and rarely fields in recent days, it seems unlikely that Australia will need a concussion substitute to continue playing in this Test match.
Throughout his career, Smith has suffered from concussions multiple times, with one of the most severe incidents occurring in 2019 at Lord's when he was severely injured by a dangerous delivery from England's fast bowler Jofra Archer.
The Australian team has faced several injury issues during their current tour to South Africa. Cameron Green has been ruled out of the first Test due to an abdominal injury, and Josh Inglis is out due to a finger fracture. This led to the inclusion of Nick Maddinson and Sam Harper in the team. Maddinson started the match in Durban, marking his return to Test cricket after a decade.
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