Steve Smith, ace Australian cricketer, is hopeful that he can participate in the forthcoming three-match Test series against the West Indies beginning on June 25 after suffering a compound dislocation in his right little finger during the ICC World Test Championship Final versus Australia at Lord's.

After hurting his finger trying to make a catch on Day Three, the 36-year-old experienced batter was examined with X-rays at a local hospital.

Smith's initial medical evaluation was positive; it was later determined that Smith's right little finger had sustained a complex dislocation. Despite avoiding surgery, the medical staff has recommended that he wear a splint for eight weeks.

"I will be in a splint for eight weeks now, and I may be able to play with it in a couple of weeks. It will depend on my functionality and what I am able to do, so it was probably the best result I could have hoped for," Smith said after the match, as per ANI.

Smith, positioned close at wide first slip wearing a helmet, failed to take the catch when Bavuma was on two runs. The missed opportunity proved costly as Bavuma went on to score 66 runs and formed a crucial match-winning partnership with Aiden Markram.

"I was standing pretty close with the helmet on, and as we saw throughout the game, a lot of nicks went short of first and second slip. The plan was to stand pretty close, and I lost sight of it with the angle that Mitchell Starc was bowling, and it kind of went inside Bavuma's hip, and I didn't quite see it until really late, and it kind of dipped on me a little bit late as well. It was tricky; it didn't go in my hand very well, and fortunately there is no break there, and it just split the skin and dislocated it, which made me feel pretty ill at that stage," Smith explained.

Smith's complex past at Lord's Cricket Ground is further exacerbated by the incident. He admitted that because of his prior experiences, he had conflicting sentiments regarding the location.

"I have a love/hate relationship with this place now. I have had some good memories here and some not-so-good ones as well. Getting hit in the head by Jofra (Archer) in 2019 and now having my digit knocked off out here yesterday as well. But it's a wonderful place to play cricket, and I have enjoyed it here, and it was a really good game of cricket again," Smith reflected.

Smith's participation in the three-match Test series between Australia and the West Indies is contingent on his recuperation, and it is set to start on June 25.

(ANI inputs)