Australia’s batsman, Travis Head, is on the verge of making a comeback for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 clash against the Netherlands as he recovers from a recent hand injury, according to coach Andrew McDonald. Head had suffered a fractured left hand during Australia’s tour of South Africa last month, which had sidelined him for the initial four matches of the World Cup in India.
Coach McDonald revealed that the selectors would determine Head’s availability after observing his recovery following a training session later on Monday.
“We’re genuinely optimistic that he’ll be ready, provided everything progresses positively today, and, most importantly, the way he feels tomorrow will be a significant factor,” McDonald informed reporters. “His dedication to recovery has been truly impressive.”
Marnus Labuschagne Is Likely To Make Way For Travis Head In The Playing XI
If Travis Head returns for the upcoming match in Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday, it is expected that Marnus Labuschagne may need to make way for him. Nevertheless, McDonald emphasized that this decision was not yet set in stone.
“We’ll have to wait and assess the situation concerning the Netherlands if Head is fit,” he added.
In the group stage standings, Australia currently holds the fourth position. They managed to stabilize their World Cup campaign with consecutive victories over Sri Lanka and Pakistan following initial heavy losses to India and South Africa.
The top four teams in the group stage qualify for the semi-finals. Coach McDonald, aged 42, noted that Australia was keen on securing more wickets during powerplays, given their challenges against strong opening batting partnerships in their recent matches.
However, the team is likely to continue with fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as their opening bowlers, rather than opting for fast-bowling captain Pat Cummins.
“We’d prefer not to rely on wickets in the middle overs,” McDonald pointed out. “The combination of Starc and Hazlewood has worked exceptionally well during powerplays. One possesses an outstanding economy rate, while the other has a knack for taking wickets. We believe this combination is highly effective,” he concluded.
Australia will face the Netherlands who have already caused an upset in this World Cup by defeating South Africa. However, Australia will be an entirely different, difficult, and dominant challenge for the Dutch. It will be an interesting battle between these two teams.
The post AUS Vs NED: Travis Head Set To Start Against Netherlands As Australia Coach Expresses Optimism appeared first on CricketAddictor.
Australia’s batsman, Travis Head, is on the verge of making a comeback for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 clash against the Netherlands as he recovers from a recent hand injury, according to coach Andrew McDonald. Head had suffered a fractured left hand during Australia’s tour of South Africa last month, which had sidelined him
The post AUS Vs NED: Travis Head Set To Start Against Netherlands As Australia Coach Expresses Optimism appeared first on CricketAddictor.
