How a baseball cage put Smith on course for Test return

Underneath a bridge at the juncture of New York City's West Side Highway and 71st Street is the last place you'd expect to find an Australian Test cricketer.

But that's exactly where Steve Smith was last week as he took his first steps towards a return in Thursday's second Test against West Indies in Grenada.

Having flown from Barbados to stay at his New York City apartment and continue his rehabilitation from a compound dislocation of his right little finger, Smith ventured to a baseball field for his first hit since suffering the injury in the World Test Championship final.

"Underneath this bridge there was a batting cage," Smith told reporters on Sunday after rejoining the Test squad in Barbados.

"It was ideal because it was pretty warm, like 36C … so it was good to be in the shade.

"My mate actually told me about it, and he was able to throw me a few balls there.

"I had a couple of bats last week with some tennis balls and incredi-balls the first day and then some cricket balls the next day.

"Everything felt good; it was with a slightly bigger splint than this one as well, so it was probably a little bit trickier getting my hand in the glove.

"But I just got my stitches out and I've got a smaller splint on now, so it'll be easier getting my hand in the glove."

Smith initially travelled with the squad to Barbados after their WTC final loss to South Africa, but with his finger heavily bandaged and not allowed to sweat, he was confined to his hotel room, which was behind his decision to travel to New York while Australia beat West Indies by 159 runs at Kensington Oval to go 1-0 up in the Frank Worrell Trophy series.

"I was honestly just bored here," he said.

"I couldn't do anything, I couldn't sweat, and I was sort of stuck in the room doing nothing.

"I've got the apartment four-and-a-half hours away. Dani (his wife) was back there, the dogs were there, so (I went back) to sit in the air conditioning and watch the boys play.

"I thought the way the boys batted on that third morning, particularly Alex Carey played exceptionally well.

"I sent him a message after – some of the shots he played, those lofted drives were outrageous.

"Getting (the lead) up above 300 looked like it was going to be too many on that surface."

The Test squad arrives in Grenada later today (Monday) where Smith will need to prove his fitness at training on Tuesday, but coach Andrew McDonald already considers him a likely inclusion for Thursday's second Test.

"I don't feel really any pain or anything," the 36-year-old batter said.

"It's just getting used to the splint on and the slightly limited movement with the tape and the splint.

"It's not too bad and I've got a lot of movement there now … hitting balls it felt completely fine so I'm pretty comfortable.

"So, it'll be just training as normal and then fielding some balls in front of the wicket, which will probably be the strangest thing for me – I don't think I've ever done that in a Test match.

"Fielding at either mid-on, mid-off or fine leg, a bit different to standing at second or first slip, so I think that's probably going to be the biggest difference."

McDonald said if Smith was declared fit for the second Test there would be no risk of long-term damage if he was struck on the finger again while batting or fielding.

"It's really about functionality around the finger, rather than anything else," the Australian coach said.

"There will be no risk to long-term health of that finger.

"Leading into the next game, he'll have the main session two days out and he'll train the day before, so if that all goes well then I'd expect Steve to resume at number four."

However, what conditions he will face when he gets to Grenada remain a mystery as despite being one of the four surviving members of the 2015 Caribbean tour, Smith has never played at the National Stadium in St George's or even been to the country.

Australia have also never played a Test there with their last match at the venue a one-day international in 2008 before any of the current squad made their debut.

"It's one of the islands that I've not been to so I'm looking forward to getting down there and see what we turn up with," Smith said.

Qantas Tour of the West Indies

First Test: Australia won by 159 runs

Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada (midnight AEST)

Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica (4.30am AEST)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

West Indies Test squad: Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (July 21, 11am AEST)

Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (July 23, 11am AEST)

Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 26, 9am AEST)

Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 27, 9am AEST)

Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)

West Indies T20 squad: TBC

Australia's T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa