Steve Smith went down after being hit badly on an unprotected part of his neck by a very quick short ball from Jofra Archer on Day 4 of the ongoing second Ashes Test at Lord's this Saturday (August 17). 

This ball got clocked at 92.4 mph (148.7 kph) and Smith was retired hurt immediately after receiving some on-field treatment. 

However, after just 46 minutes away, he returned at the fall of the next wicket before being adjudged lbw to Chris Woakes for 92.

Smith's bravery for the team cause was admirable but what also came in focus was the kind of helmet he was wearing that enabled no safety whatsoever around the neck area where Phillip Hughes was also hit in 2014 to never regain his consciousness. He died soon after. 

And that's why, whether he likes it or not, Smith must wear a neck guard attached to his helmet, said head coach Justin Langer, who was left very worried about him just like the rest of the cricket fraternity. 

"He (Smith) just doesn't feel right (wearing a stem guard). I know they came in after the tragedy of Hughesy. He might rethink it now after seeing what happened today, but you'd have to ask him that," Langer told reporters after stumps at Lord's. 

"At the moment, the players have a choice and I wouldn't be surprised if they become mandatory in the future."

But at the same time, Langer is assured Smith won't lose his confidence against quick bowling for the rest of this series and beyond. 

"When you get hit, it's always in the back of your mind. Any batsman who tells you it's not is a liar. But he (Smith) is also the sort of person who will do everything from now until the next time he bats — whether it's mentally, visualising or practising — to be right."

It is now allowed for teams to send in like-for-like concussion substitutes but Langer insisted the option wasn't employed as the management didn't take any undue risk in allowing Smith back. 

"He passed all the testing and that's why he came back out," Langer said. "These are like my sons alright, so you're never going to put them in harm's way, even though you're always in harm's way with Test cricket. What else do you do? The medicos cleared him, he wanted to get out there."

(Inputs from AFP)