Australian batter Travis Head after scoring a century during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against New Zealand.
| Photo Credit: MOORTHY RV

Australia had shown a lot of faith in Travis Head by naming him in the World Cup squad despite his broken hand that he sustained a little over six weeks ago against South Africa.

After repaying that faith with a blistering hundred against New Zealand on Saturday, the opener said it felt nice to be part of the squad despite being at home in Australia.

“Definitely at home it was nice to be kept in the squad. I understood a lot of things had to go right, personally and with the team. So, I didn’t really feel the pressure today. I just wanted to come out and play and contribute,” he said.

Other than reducing itself to a 14-member squad as Head could link up with the team only later in the tournament, Australia was also ready to sacrifice an all-round option and move Steve Smith to the No. 4 spot to accommodate the left-hander’s return to the eleven.

It was Head’s eagerness to grab the opener’s spot, which he said he had been eyeing for two years, that ensured all the risks the management took paid off.

“Obviously, with [Aaron] Finch playing for such a long period and their [with David Warner] partnership being so good and the limited chance I had, I was able to take and sort of waited a couple of years for that spot to open up,” he said.

Head returned to the ODI side in March 2022 after almost four years and struck a 107-ball 101 against Pakistan in his first game. Only after Finch retired in September last year, did Head and David Warner come together to form a lethal opening pair.

On Saturday, the duo added 175 in 19 overs for the first wicket and Head said that going hard in the first PowerPlay was a strategy that helped. We understand that it’s not going to be like that every day, but if we can be as positive as that, I think it gets us both in better positions.”

Australia’s Travis Head leaves the field after receiving medical attention during the fourth ODI cricket match between South Africa and Australia in Pretoria, South Africa, on September 15, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Travis Head’s participation at next month’s World Cup has been thrown into uncertainty after the Australian opener fractured his left hand during the fourth ODI against South Africa.

Head was struck on the on the left glove by a short delivery from Proteas seamer Gerald Coetzee in the seventh over in the fourth ODI here on Friday.

The 29-year-old faced three more deliveries but looked in discomfort and was forced to retire hurt in Australia’s massive 164-run loss.

“It’s a confirmed fracture,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said at the post match conference.

“As to the nature of what sort of time frame that lends itself to, that will be assessed tomorrow,” he added More scans on Saturday will reveal the extent of the injury.

“He’s going to go in for more scans tomorrow to get a detail of that, then we’ll work out the management of it from there.

“I’m not a medical person but I think it’s a bit higher up than the finger itself … it’s in a joint (in the hand) somewhere. Fingers crossed with the World Cup fast approaching,” McDonald added.

The injury throws Australia’s plans into disarray with only weeks to go for the World Cup in India, starting on October 5.

If Head misses the start of the World Cup, Mitchell Marsh could be elevated to the opening position given his good run at the top in the series against India earlier this year.

However, should Head be ruled out of the tournament, Australian selectors might be tempted to add the in-form Marnus Labuschagne in the squad.

Australia take on India in Chennai on October 8 in their tournament opener.

The last date to make changes to the squad is September 28, post which any changes would need approval from the ICC.