Smith reveals extent of Ashes wrist injury

Steve Smith has revealed he batted through the final three Tests of the Ashes with tendon damage in his left wrist after being hurt while fielding on the final day at Lord's.

Smith will miss the looming white-ball tour of South Africa with the injury, keeping the joint in a splint for at least the next fortnight.

The 34-year-old is in no doubt for Australia's 50-over World Cup opener against hosts India on October 8, and is likely to play in the lead-up matches before then, with Australia facing a three-game series with India before official warm-up fixtures.

Smith believes he hurt his wrist while fielding in the deep during England's second innings of the second Test, as Ben Stokes unleashed carnage on the tourists.

He then batted through his last six innings of the tour in pain, requiring a cortisone injection before the fourth Test and seeking further scans on return home.

"I must have just landed awkwardly," Smith told AAP.

"It was quite painful at Headingley (for the third Test).

"Even in the lead in, I didn't hit that much in the nets. I was just trying to find a way to hold the bat that wasn't painful.

"After that, some shots I played, cross-bat and back-foot punching I was sore. Trying to decelerate the bat was hard, or defending sometimes was sore. But it wasn't awful."

Smith's average on the tour went from 53.55 before the injury to 34.5 after it, as Australia let slip a 2-0 Ashes lead to draw 2-2.

"Maybe it did (impact me), I'm not sure," Smith said.

"I was a bit disappointed with my batting. I got a few starts but just didn't kick on to get a big score.

"I felt really good in the first innings (of the fifth Test) at The Oval, I probably hit the trigger a bit early. But until that point I didn't feel as if I was going to get out.

"Even in the second innings I felt good there. But I just didn't capitalise on a few starts as much as I would have liked."

The injury has also cost Smith a chance to open in the T20s in South Africa before next year's World Cup in the format, after back-to-back centuries for the Sydney Sixers at the top of the order in the KFC BBL last summer.

Left out of Australia's team for most of last year's T20 World Cup on home soil, Smith could stay on in India after the ODI World Cup and open the batting with Australia facing a five-match T20 series while other Test players return home to prepare for the summer.

"It's unfortunate, I wanted to go and open the batting in the T20s," Smith said.

"Anyone would want to open in T20 cricket. It was cool to be able to show what I could do in the Big Bash. Hopefully I can replicate that internationally as well."

Smith told Fox Cricket he'd been assured by head coach Andrew McDonald there would be opportunities to press his case as Australia's T20 opener.

"It's kind of the dream job. Everyone wants to open the batting in T20s," Smith said.

"There's not much accountability there, you just sort of go out there and play.

"You've got two fielders out for the first six overs, and if you get going then you're already in when the field goes out, so it's a nice time to bat."

Smith was replaced by Perth Scorchers captain Ashton Turner for the T20 leg of the South Africa tour, for which players depart on Wednesday, while Marnus Labuschange has been added to the mix for the five ODIs that follow.

Smith, and Mitchell Starc, who is also missing South Africa with groin soreness following a heavy Ashes workload, will link up with the team in India.

2023 Qantas T20s v South Africa

August 30: First T20I, Durban (August 31, 2am AEST)

September 1: Second T20I, Durban (September 2, 2am AEST)

September 3: Third T20I, Durban, September 3, 10pm AEST

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen

2023 Qantas ODIs v South Africa

September 7: First ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 9: Second ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 12: Third ODI, Potchefstroom (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 15: Fourth ODI, Centurion (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 17: Fifth ODI, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Brjor Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen