Australia has been dealt with a major blow just before the World Cup as opener Travis Head has been ruled out of the first half of the World Cup. Head who suffered a blow to his left hand while batting during the fourth ODI against South Africa had to retire because of the Injury. He was taken to the hospital for an x-ray which confirmed a fracture to the joint.
Head’s absence has posed serious questions in front of the Australian management before the World Cup with payers like Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc among others also nursing injuries.
Coach’s Corner
The Australian head coach gave an update on the severity of Head’s injury, He said “The timeframe is still a little bit loose at the moment, but the good news is that he doesn’t require surgery as it sits at the moment. The follow-up scan confirmed the fracture was in a joint. There will be an extended period of time out and we’re just going to weigh whether that time falls potentially with an option to carry him through the front half of the World Cup,” McDonald said in a Press conference as reported by India Today.
Head will now return to Australia for further treatment while the Australian team will go to India from South Africa to participate in a three-match ODI series starting on September 22. This series serves as a vital tune-up for Australia in preparation for the 50-over World Cup, which commences on October 5th. The absence of Travis Head will undoubtedly pose a challenge for the team as they aim to stake their claim as serious contenders for the coveted ODI World Cup trophy.
The Opportunity
Head’s unfortunate injury presents a change for Labuschagne to replace the left-hander in the squad for the mega event having performed well against South Africa in the recently concluded ODI series where he came in as a concussion substitute in the first ODI and played a match-winning knock for his team. While all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is expected to open with David Warner in the series against India
