Travis Head to join Australian squad this week, when will he return, Australia vs Sri Lanka, team news،
Flyhalf Travis Head could be ready to play as early as Australia’s fifth World Cup clash against New Zealand after returning to the net with his flight to India booked for Thursday.
Head, who suffered a broken hand in South Africa, had his cast removed late last week and now faces tests revealing the fracture is healing well enough for the left-hander to play this game. which could be an important role in the tournament.
Declaring the injury healed, a gamble he had initially hoped for, Head said the fourth clash with the Netherlands would take place exactly six weeks after his injury, but doing so would be “aggressive”.
Instead, he could return to face the Kiwis, giving him four games before the final, if the Australians, who are yet to open their World Cup account after two matches, make it that far.
“It’s going well, and probably better than we hoped,” Head said Sunday.
“When we decided against surgery, which would have meant a 10-week recovery, we were told it would be at least six weeks in the brace before we could consider playing again.
“Following this plan, the game against the Netherlands (October 25) will take place just under six weeks from impact, which is a pretty aggressive date, so everything should go perfectly from here to meet this deadline.
“But we’ll see how it progresses over the next few days and I’m excited to join the boys there later in the week,” added Head, who will fly out from Adelaide on Thursday.
“I wasn’t even sure I could punch when the brace came off but, apart from some stiffness since I hadn’t been able to use it for four weeks, I was able to punch balls. and play a good range of shots.
Australia must beat Sri Lanka on Monday night to stay alive at the World Cup after defeats to India and South Africa.
Head had formed a key opening partnership with David Warner and, in his absence, Mitch Marsh returned scores of zero and seven to start the tournament.
Captain Pat Cummins is playing with his wrist heavily taped after fracturing it during the Ashes and Head said there are still boxes he needs to tick off the bat to get on the field.
“I’m not sure what that will mean for the field, we haven’t explored that yet,” he told cricket.com.au.
“I had it scanned the other day and it’s healing, and I guess it’ll be a bit like Pat Cummins’ wrist being strapped for protection after he suffered that fracture.
“So there are still a few hurdles that we have to overcome, and everything has to fall into place from my side and from the team’s point of view there before the final decision is made.
“But I hope everything goes well, and I’m on the plane Thursday.”
