Smith In Fitness Race For India Test Series

Smith In Fitness Race For India Test Series

Graeme Smith may miss the opening Test against India which is just three weeks away

©REUTERS/Nikhil Monteiro (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Tags: SPORT CRICKET IMAGES OF THE DAY) Picture Supplied by Action Images

South African captain Graeme Smith faces a race against time to be fit for his side's much-anticipated Test clash with India following an undisplaced finger fracture.

Scans in Abu Dhabi have confirmed that left-hander Smith has an undisplaced fracture to the fourth metacarpal of his left hand, which was sustained when he was hit by a Shoaib Akhtar delivery in the first One-Day International.

Subsequently, the injury has worsened during the Test series, rendering Smith unable to bat in the second innings of the second and final Test.

"It is the same hand that was injured during the ODI Series against Pakistan three weeks ago,” team manager Dr. Mohammed Moosajee said.

“It was aggravated by the continuous wear and tear involved with fielding and batting and flared up while he was fielding during the current Test match.

"It will be a race against time to get him fit for the Test series against India. Knowing our experiences with Graeme in the past we have said he would need a six-week lay-off and he was ready in four and other times we said three weeks and it took him longer.”

The three-Test series against India gets underway on 16th December at Centurion Park and is followed by matches in Durban and Cape Town from 26th December and 2nd January.

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