Opening batter Travis Head was seen practicing in the nets on Monday morning, giving the Australian squad a huge boost ahead of their ODI World Cup 2023 match against the Netherlands. On Sunday, the batter stated that he had four net sessions after removing his hand from the splint. He began by hitting tennis balls before progressing to sidearm throwdowns in the nets in Delhi on Saturday.
Head has joined Australia’s squad in Delhi after watching Australia’s first four World Cup matches from his couch in Adelaide while recovering from a fractured left hand suffered on the South African tour just over five weeks ago.
Australia’s selectors took a major risk by keeping Head in the 15-man squad despite the fact that he was missing for the first half of the tournament, with chair George Bailey claiming on Saturday that Head would fit straight back in at the top of the order despite Mitchell Marsh’s superb form.
I Had A Really Good Hit Yesterday: Travis Head Optimistic About Return
Head is positive about playing against Netherlands but Saturday’s big match against New Zealand in Dharamsala might be when he returns.
“I had a really good hit yesterday. I think each session is getting better but again we’ve got to be mindful of the fact that I think it was five weeks [since the injury] a couple of days ago, and I sort of got told [around] that six-week mark.
Everything keeps going well, but again, it’s [about] how I woke up this morning. It’s how I can potentially back up tomorrow and train,” Head was quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Head stated that he was convinced the bone had healed and that he only had to deal with a little pain and stiffness in his hand. He also needs to restore strength and movement in his left hand after being immobilized in a splint for four weeks, though he does not believe this will impact his power.
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