Australian batsman Steve Smith missed out on the first two matches of the ODI series is now likely to return for the final match on Wednesday.
Smith missed out of the first two matches following a concussion on his head during the training session ahead of the first ODI.
The ODI series between England and Australia is levelled at 1-1, with the decider series decider yet to be played in Manchester.
Last year, when Australia had toured England for the Ashes, Smith had sustained the same concussion, forcing him out of the series. This time he has recovered fast and also cleared all the concussion tests and also abiding by all the protocols.
Team’s head coach Justin Langer is optimistic about Smith’s return for the final ODI as his presence will strengthen the squad.
“Fingers crossed. We know what a great player he is, he got a blow to the head in training the day before the first game, so we’ve been going through all the concussion protocols, he’s definitely tracking in the right direction,” Langer said.
Langer said that Smith has been actively participating in the training sessions and also giving a good time to his batting.
“He did all his running yesterday, did some high speed running, worked hard as part of the protocols, he has ticked every box at the moment, so he will 100% have a bat this afternoon unless he’s not feeling well this morning. He’ll definitely have a hit this afternoon,” he stated.
The final ODI between England and Australia will take place on September 16 at the Old Trafford in Manchester.
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