Smith, the South Africa team captain, has continued a fracture to the fourth finger of his left hand that could put him out of the future home Test series against India. He is continued the injury when he was hit by a Shoaib Akhtar bouncer in the 1st ODI against Pakistan previous month and has aggravated it by playing in the last 2 ODIs of the same series and the 2-Test series in the UAE.
"It is the same hand that was injured through the ODI series against Pakistan 3 weeks ago," South Africa's team manager Mohammed Moosajee said. "It was aggravated by the continuous wear and tear concerned with fielding and batting and flared up while he was fielding during the present Test match." Smith was unable to bat in South Africa's 2nd innings in the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The injury has put Smith's contribution in the 1st Test against India, which starts in Centurion on December 16, in doubt.
The crack is a non-displaced one but Smith has a history with hand injuries having suffered 4 separate injuries to his hands in the last two-and-a-half years. Moosajee said the team doctor had advised Smith three weeks rest but because of his history, the team management was not certain when he would be fit again.
"It will be a race next to time to get him fit for the Test series against India," Moosajee said.
"In our experience with Smith, there have been times we said he would need a 6-week lay-off and he was ready in four, and other times we said three weeks and it took him longer." Smith broke his right center finger during the 2010 Indian Premier League, while a cracked little finger on his left hand kept him out of the ODI series in India in February.
Mitchell Johnson broke his right hand twice during South Africa's home and away series next to Australia in 2008-09.
"It is the same hand that was injured through the ODI series against Pakistan 3 weeks ago," South Africa's team manager Mohammed Moosajee said. "It was aggravated by the continuous wear and tear concerned with fielding and batting and flared up while he was fielding during the present Test match." Smith was unable to bat in South Africa's 2nd innings in the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The injury has put Smith's contribution in the 1st Test against India, which starts in Centurion on December 16, in doubt.
The crack is a non-displaced one but Smith has a history with hand injuries having suffered 4 separate injuries to his hands in the last two-and-a-half years. Moosajee said the team doctor had advised Smith three weeks rest but because of his history, the team management was not certain when he would be fit again.
"It will be a race next to time to get him fit for the Test series against India," Moosajee said.
"In our experience with Smith, there have been times we said he would need a 6-week lay-off and he was ready in four, and other times we said three weeks and it took him longer." Smith broke his right center finger during the 2010 Indian Premier League, while a cracked little finger on his left hand kept him out of the ODI series in India in February.
Mitchell Johnson broke his right hand twice during South Africa's home and away series next to Australia in 2008-09.
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