World Cup 2023: Big blow for Australia as Travis Head fractures hand, Labuschagne likely to be named replacement

In a major blow to Australia, opener Travis Head was forced to retire out as a delivery from 22-year-old South Africa pacer Gerald Coetzee fractured his hand during the 4th ODI in Centurion on Friday.

Head was struck on his left glove by Coetzee. The 29-year-old explosive batter tried to bat on but soon left after feeling tremendous pain. Australia head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed the fracture after Australia fell 164 runs short of the mammoth 417-run target set by South Africa.

“At this stage, it’s a confirmed fracture and how long that timeframe is, we’re yet to determine that so fingers crossed clearly with the World Cup fast approaching,” McDonald said about Head who has scored 791 runs at 60.84 and a strike rate of 119.84 since last January.

“I’m not a medical person, but I think it’s a little bit higher up than the actual [index] finger itself. But I don’t know the actual terminology. It’s in a joint somewhere, so I won’t go into the medical specifics. But, yeah, a confirmed fracture and to be assessed again tomorrow with another scan," he added.

There is a high chance of Marnus Labuschagne replacing Head in the 15-member squad. He recently scored a match-winning fifty and a hundred in the first and second ODI respectively.

Further, Cameron Green is likely to feature in the fifth and final ODI on Sunday, September 17. He was hit on the helmet by a Kagiso Rabada delivery in the first ODI which saw concussion substitute Labuschagne score unbeaten 80 to help Australia recover from 113/7 and chase down a 223-run target.

“He’s been cleared by the medical team,” McDonald said. “So he’s just working away getting prepared. Hopefully, he’s available for game five. That’s the plan at this stage. We’ll be able to have some training tomorrow, assess that and there will be some forced changes.”

With Travis Head very likely to miss the World Cup 2023 now, Mitchell Marsh could open with David Warner.

All-rounders Glenn Maxwell (ankle) and Ashton Agar (paternal leave), batter Steve Smith (wrist), captain Pat Cummins (wrist), and pacer Mitchell Starc (hamstring) will all return from injury to the squad for the white ball tour of India which starts from September 22.