Following baseball cage preparation in New York, Smith's eyes return for the second Test.

Steven Smith looks to be ready to play in the second Test match against the West Indies after using a baseball batting cage in New York to speed up his recovery from a dislocated finger. He tested his hand in heat similar to the Caribbean by hitting tennis balls, soft balls, and then cricket balls in the shaded cage.

Smith informed reporters that a batting cage was located beneath this bridge. Being in the shade was beneficial because it was very warm, about 36 degrees Celsius. My friend was able to throw me a few balls there and actually told me about it.

Smith’s right little finger was compound dislocated during the World Test Championship final versus South Africa. He skipped the first test in Barbados and stayed in his New York home since his finger was tightly wrapped and his movement was restricted.

The 36-year-old says he hopes to train properly in Grenada now that his finger feels good.

Everything was nice. It will be easier to get my hand in the glove now that my sutures have been out and I’m wearing a smaller splint, Smith said. I don’t actually experience any pain. [It’s] only adjusting to the splint and the somewhat restricted range of motion. It feels fantastic to have a lot of movement there now, so it’s not too horrible. It felt just great to hit the ball.

Smith admitted that the downtime in Barbados was challenging. He answered, “To be honest, I was just bored here.” I was kind of locked in the room doing nothing, unable to sweat or do anything. The flat is four and a half hours away from me. I returned to sit in the air conditioning and watch the boys play because Dani and the dogs were back there.

Smith is already getting ready for some new tasks on the field, but he will need to demonstrate his fitness during training on Tuesday to secure his spot.

For me, the most bizarre thing will probably be fielding some balls in front of the wicket. To my knowledge, I have never performed that in a Test match. Fielding at fine leg, mid-on, or mid-off is a little different than standing at first or second slip.