Ashes 2019: Steve Smith says his first thought after Jofra Archer blow were memories of Phillip Hughes’ death

Australian batsman is in line for a fourth Test return at Old Trafford after sitting out the Headingley defeat with concussion

Steve Smith has said being hit by a Jofra Archer short ball brought back sad memories of the death of Phillip Hughes.

Hughes was struck in a similar area to Smith during a 2014 Sheffield Shield match in Sydney, and did not regain consciousness before passing away in hospital two days after being hit.

Smith confirmed that he had thought of his former New South Wales and Australia team mate’s passing immediately after Archer’s bouncer struck him.

“I had a few things running through my mind, particularly where I got hit,” Smith told reporters.

“Like a bit of the past sort of came up, if you know what I mean, from a few years ago. That was probably the first thing I thought about.

“Then I thought, ‘I’m actually OK here’. I was a bit sad, but I was alright mentally for the rest of that afternoon.”

Smith is expected to return to action in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford next week after missing Australia’s remarkable defeat at Headingley.

Despite suggestions that Archer’s blow may have been a turning point in the series and detrimental to Smith’s supreme form, the talismanic number four has shrugged off claims that he will adjust his approach after being struck.

“No, I’m not really going to change anything. There’s been a bit of talk that he’s got the wood over me but he hasn’t got me out,” said Smith of Archer.

“He hit me on the head on a wicket that was a bit up and down at Lord’s.

“All the other bowlers have had more success against me, I dare say. I’ve faced them a bit more but they’ve all got me out a lot more, so, yeah, pretty comfortable about that.”

Smith’s incident has brought the use of stem neck guards back into the spotlight. It is not currently mandatory to use them, and some batsmen, including Smith, find them restrictive and un-natural.

Steve Smith was hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer during the second Test at Lord’s (Reuters)

Governing body Cricket Australia will look to make the wearing of neck guards compulsory within a year to further protect batsmen.

And though Smith’s heart rate increased by “30 or 40” beats per minute when wearing the guards, the batsman says he will have to get used to them.

“I just feel claustrophobic. I compare it to being stuck in an MRI scan machine so it was different,” he said.

“At some point they’re probably going to become mandatory so I am going to have to get used to them.”