'There'll be no risk to the long-term health of that finger': Australia head coach Andrew McDonald breaks silence on Steve Smith's participation for 2nd Test vs West Indies

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said that star batter Steve Smith will most likely to be included in Pat Cummins-led side's playing XI for the second Test match against West Indies which will take place from July 3 at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium.

Smith missed the first Test match against the West Indies due to a finger injury he got during the World Test Championship at iconic Lord's Stadium in England. Smith has spent the last week in New York, where he has had a net against a tennis ball, according to ESPNcricinfo.

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"It's really about functionality around the finger rather than anything else. There'll be no risk to the long-term health of that finger. He'll return, and I think it's likely he'll play. Leading into the next game, he'll have the main session two days out," Andrew McDonald said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Smith suffered the injury, dropping a catch offered by Temba Bavuma on the third day at Lord's Stadium in England.

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McDonald reflected on the decision to keep Smith at No. 4, citing his ability to stabilise the position and their value to the team, despite the option to move him higher in the batting order.

"In terms of why we see him as No. 4, I think we've settled on that," McDonald said. "We could slide him up higher if we wanted to. He's been excellent at number three. But I think if you look at the last 12 months at No. 4 and his ability to stabilise that position, two down, arguably our greatest batter, we want to keep him at four and build around that rather than potentially risking too many moves in the order," he added.

Steve Smith is available for the rest of the series and there are chances that arnus Labuschagne, who was benched for the first time in the format since 2019 prior to the first Test, may be released from the team to play some cricket, either for Glamorgan or in the Australia A series against Sri Lanka A, according to ESPNcricinfo.