Ashes 2019 | I'm hopeful to be available for that Test match, says Steve Smith

Ashes 2019 | I'm hopeful to be available for that Test match, says Steve Smith

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Steve Smith has stated that he is hopeful of being selected for the upcoming Test in Leeds despite being ruled out of the Lord's Test mid-way after failing to pass the concussion test. The former Aussie skipper has revealed that he'd gone to bed with a headache and woken up 'groggy' on the next day.

Smith took a heavy blow to his neck off a fierce short-pitched delivery from Jofra Archer on the fourth day and was instantly taken off the ground after physio determined that he had got a concussion. However, he made a reappearance in the middle once again after the team doctor cleared him off concussion after a number of assessments, which subsequently reversed on the next day when he woke up withĀ a headache and the feeling of grogginess and that led to him being replaced by Marnus Labuschagne, who became the first-ever concussion substitute to be used in a Test match. Smith gave a detailed picture of the incident.

"I started to feel a little bit of a headache coming on last night, probably as the adrenaline got out of my system. I was able to get a good sleep in, which is somewhat rare for me. But woke up feeling a little bit groggy and with a headache again, so had some tests done and upon some further assessments deemed to be a mild concussion unfortunately and have been ruled out for the rest of this Test match," Smith was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

"The doc's had a pretty close eye on me since I came off the field yesterday and I've been assessed and asked a lot of questions over the last 20 hours or thereabouts, and unfortunately I've declined in the way I've felt over that time."

It sparked a mini-controversy when Smith was replaced by Labuschagne despite batting post-concussion but the New South Welshman revealed thatĀ he had felt "normal and fine" and ready to take on the bowling on that day and the symptoms of concussion arose on the next day.

"Yesterday when I came off the ground the results were normal. I passed all the tests and felt fine, felt normal. I was allowed to go back out and bat, upon discussions with the team doctor and the coach as well. They were both happy and I was comfortable as well, so we were all happy and I was able to go out and continue batting," he said.

"I didn't have any real pain in my neck yesterday when I touched it or when anyone else touched it. Today I do have a bit of pain there, whether that's some swelling or what I'm not sure. Perhaps that's leading to me having a headache and feeling a bit groggy," he added.

Unfortunately for Smith, the third Test in Leeds is just four days away and it is highly unlikely that he can pass all the tests necessary to be deemed fit to play the third Ashes Test. Although Smith wasn't really confident about the same, he hopes to race against time to be available for selection in time for Headingley.

"It's obviously a quick turnaround between Test matches. I'm going to be assessed over the next five or six days, each day a couple times a day to see how I'm feeling and progressing and I'm hopeful I will be available for that Test match, but it's certainly up to the medical staff and we'll have conversations. It's certainly an area of concern, the concussion, and I want to be 100% fit," he said.

"I've got to be able to train probably a couple of days out and face fast bowling to make sure my reaction time and all that kind of stuff is in place. There are a few tests I'll have to tick off and I guess time will tell," he added.

He revealed that the blow that he had taken on his arm is fine now and he is quickly recovering from the same.

"The arm feels pretty good today. It's quite a good bruise I have on it and it's feeling a lot better. The movement I have in it is far greater than I had yesterday and that feels really good," he said.

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