'Was taking painkillers every time I batted': Steve Smith opens up on battle with injury during IPL 2021
In a recent interaction, Steve Smith revealed that he was dealing with an elbow injury during the IPL and was in severe pain during the tournament.
Steve Smith did not have the best of campaigns leading Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2020. So, when the franchise did not retain him this year before the start of IPL 2021, it did not come as much of a surprise for fans. But despite the Australia star batsman without a franchise, he was pegged to be one of the players guaranteed to find a place in the auctions.
So, as soon as his name came up at the IPL 2021 players' auctions, Delhi Capitals bought his services for ₹2.2 crore. But despite spending money on him, Smith did not find himself immediately getting a start for the franchise.
Before IPL 2021 was suspended due to the spread of Covid-19, Smith played 6 games for DC in which he scored 104 runs at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 111.82.
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In a recent interaction, the Aussie batsman revealed that he was dealing with an elbow injury during the IPL and was in severe pain during the tournament. Smith also said that he was taking painkillers every time he stepped out to bat.
“I still wasn’t quite 100 percent [during the IPL], it was still bothering me a bit, and I was playing over there medicated – taking some painkillers and anti-inflammatories every time I batted," Smith told cricket.com.au.
"It got to a point where it wasn’t really improving much, and it probably got a little bit worse while I was over there,” Smith added.
The batsman has now pulled out of the upcoming tours to West Indies and Bangladesh tours, and in the same interview, he hinted that he may miss T20 World Cup if needed, to be fully fit for the Ashes.
“There’s still a bit of time between now and [the T20 World Cup], and I’m tracking okay at the moment – it’s slow, but I’m going okay. I’d love to be part of the World Cup, for sure, but from my point of view, Test cricket, that’s my main goal – to be right for the Ashes and try to emulate what I’ve done in the last few Ashes series I’ve been involved in,” Smith said.
