Former Aussie cricket captain Steve Smith said his elbow was fine, after landing on it heavily, as he prepared for his final Indian Premier League (IPL) game of the season before joining World Cup squad.
Rajasthan Royals skipper Smith took a brilliant diving catch to dismiss compatriot David Warner, but in the process gave the Australian camp a scare, when he appeared to re-injure an elbow still rehabbing from surgery.
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He received medical treatment and returned to bat, as the Royals chased down the target to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad with five balls to spare.
"I just landed on it quite heavily, more heavily than I had landed on it previously," Smith told reporters before his side's game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday.
The former Australian captain Smith underwent an operation in January to repair a ligament in his right elbow while he was serving his 12-month international ban for ball tampering that ended last month.
"From the surgery, I have still got some scar tissue and stuff in there, and just the impact of the landing affected it a little bit," he said. "But there is nothing wrong with it - all good."
The 29-year-old has has shown signs of returning to his best with two fifties in his last four innings for the Royals in the IPL.
"The start of the tournament did not go as well as I would have liked," he said. "But I think the more I have padded up, the better I have felt, as the tournament has gone on.
"I've been able to contribute to a couple of wins in the last two matches and felt very good."
Smith said he was not yet able to throw with full force and had to take close fielding positions in the IPL this season, although that aspect of his game is fast improving.
Reuters
