Australia Test captain Tim Paine on Monday urged Steve Smith not to rush his comeback from injury to ensure he is fit for the Ashes, even it means missing the Twenty20 World Cup.
Smith is a crucial cog in Australia’s drive to retain the urn after their gripping 2019 series in England, where he was the standout performer on his return from a ban for ball-tampering.
Despite bearing the brunt of hostile English fans, he smashed an incredible 774 runs in four Tests, at an average of 110.57, including twin centuries on his Test return at Edgbaston.
But he is struggling with an elbow injury after changing his batting grip, ruling him out of Australia’s current limited-overs tour of the West Indies.
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Smith stressed…
