Steve Smith will be good to go for the first Test against India despite a back injury taking him out of training on Tuesday, according to Australia captain Tim Paine.

On the day before the series opener at the Adelaide Oval, Paine told reporters the linchpin of Australia’s batting line-up is expected to pull on the whites for the day-night Test.

He pointed out that Smith has fought through back problems in the past and still managed to perform at an elite level.

“We expect him to play, he’s had a stiff back before,” Paine said.

“Yesterday was precautionary. He normally gets up and gets through it and finds a way to score runs.”

Smith’s obsession with batting, trying to spend as much time as possible in the middle or in the nets, has been a running joke for years — as has his tendency to practice in the shower or his hotel room.

Heading into the Test series, Smith has spent plenty of time at the crease, thanks to back-to-back centuries in the one-day internationals, followed by the three-game Twenty20 series against India.

Paine said the former skipper’s “preparation has been very good”.

“He’s played all the one-dayers and when we arrived in Adelaide he batted literally for four days straight,” Paine said.

Thursday will mark Smith’s first Test outing against India since the away series in 2017, after he and opener David Warner missed India’s historic series victory on Australian soil in 2018/19 due to their ball-tampering suspension.

Unfortunately for Australia, a groin injury will prevent Warner from rejoining the team for at least the first game of the series, but Paine said improvements up and down the XI should help reverse the result from last time.

“We’ve got Steve back, we don’t have Dave, but we will at some point,” he said.

“Every player in our squad has improved as a cricketer since the last time we played India.”

Plus, the team is adding an exciting new element, with Cameron Green expected to become Australia’s 459th men’s Test player.

The 21-year-old West Australian had a nasty concussion during last week’s Australia A game and has been on limited bowling duties as he recovers from a back strain, but if picked, he will play the proper all-rounder’s role.

“Once you’re selected in a Test match you’re good to go,” Paine said.

“We see him as just a nice change-up. He takes 12-14 overs an innings out of our frontline bowlers.

“Having him in our side allows us to have Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood around for longer.”



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