Steve Smith.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Premier Australian batter Steve Smith has revealed that he was nursing an injury for the better part of the Ashes series, having wounded his wrist during the Lord's Test.
The 34-year-old had torn a tendon in his left wrist during the second Test at Lord's after making a match-winning 110 in the first innings.
"I did it at Lord's. I don't actually know the moment, it was when we were in the field. It wasn't until that night I was like, 'Geez, what have I done here, it's a bit sore'," Smith told Fox Cricket.
"I played the next game and then I had a cortisone before Old Trafford. I got back (to Australia) and I was like, 'Still not quite right. I still can't do a lot of things properly'.
"I had another scan. There was a small tear in the tendon as well as a couple of other things."
After winning the opening two Tests, Australia looked on course to register their first Ashes series win in England since 2001. However, the hosts staged a remarkable comeback to draw the rubber.
Despite retaining the Ashes, Smith said "overall it was a bit disappointing."
"I thought we probably had all the tools in the kit bag to go ever there and win, and we weren't satisfied with drawing the series again. Obviously, we did that last time. We wanted to win and do one better, and we weren't able to do that."
The injury which requires Smith to wear a splint for the next couple of weeks has ruled him out of the upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa.
Smith, who featured in just one game in last year's T20 World Cup, was slated to open the batting in the T20 leg in South Africa.
He had been in imperious form for the Sydney Sixers during last season's Big Bash League.
The former skipper had hoped to cement his spot in the shortest format with an eye on the T20 World Cup next year.
"I did speak to (Australian coach) Andrew McDonald about it. He said I'd get more opportunities somewhere to press my case. It's kind of the dream job. Everyone wants to open the batting in T20s.
"There's not much accountability there, you just sort of go out there and play. You've got two fielders out for the first six overs, and if you get going then you're already in when the field goes out, so it's a nice time to bat."