Australian stalwart Steve Smith on Tuesday revealed that he was still struggling with a stiff back. But he is hoping to be fit for the secon Test against India which will begin on Saturday.

Smith’s back problem had caused jitters ahead of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the Australian camp fearing that he might miss the pink-ball fixture.

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“I just can’t sit down for too long really. If I am up and about and moving around, I am pretty good. If I sit down, I am pretty stiff after this press conference. If I am moving around or lying down then good. If I sit around for too long then it is not great for it. So I am not worried. Everything will be fine. It will be good to go,” Smith told reporters on Tuesday.

“Well initially when I did (have stiff back), I did have some fears (of missing the first Test). But I have had a few back issues in the past and they are generally 2-3 day things where I do a lot of physiotherapy, get myself into extension. Generally when I do…so it is just having someone like physio to push in my back and getting the extension and trying to get that range back. It is still a bit stiff but it didn’t hamper me throughout the game. It was all good. It is something I have to manage whenever it does. I haven’t had an episode since 2014. Hopefully they can be six years apart if they come,” he added.

The 31-year-ole right-handed batsman is looking forward to the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he had made his Test debut in 2010. Since then the MCG has turned out to be one of his favourite hunting grounds.

Smith’s average in the seven Tests he has played at the MCG, since his debut in 2010, is 113.5 with four centuries. He played one Test against India at the venue, in 2014, and scored 192.

“10 years…it is hard to believe. But it has been a while since then. I have grown as a player over that time and as you said my Boxing Day record has been the best of all the grounds in Australia. I like batting at the MCG. On big occasions, I try to make the most of them and help the team out. There is nothing like the sort of thrill or I guess you get the shivers down the spine when you walk out to bat on the Boxing Day,” said the 31-year-old.

“You have the crowd yelling. It is a sort of dream come true. As a kid I always wanted to play in a Boxing Day Test match. I always remember watching the Boxing Day Test at home with the family after Christmas and to walk out on the Boxing Day and play, you sort of get the shivers down the spine and hair on the back raise up and it is just a great feeling,” he added.