It looks like former Australian captain Steve Smith needs to wait a little longer to make his return to international cricket. Smith, whose 12-month international ban was going to end in March, will now need an operation to fix an elbow injury.
Smith sustained the injury while playing for Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League.
According to Cricket Australia, Smith will be operated on Tuesday to repair a ligament in his right elbow. He will need to wear a brace for six weeks post operation and will have to go through extensive rehabilitation.
It is believed Smith, who was leading the Comilla franchisee in the first two games, aggravated an old injury. In the two matches he played for the Comilla Victorians, he scored 16 and a duck.
The operation is a major blow to Smith, whose 12-month suspension for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal ends on March 28.
Smith might end up missing the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to the elbow surgery. Smith was retained by Rajasthan Royals for this season of IPL. Meanwhile, in PSL he has signed up to play for Multan Sultans.
With less than six months to go before the World Cup in England, it will also be interesting to see whether Smith will be able to become match-fit for title defence.
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