ODI World Cup: Travis Head a lock to return soon, Warner’s Test future still clouded

David Warner’s red-hot form in limited overs cricket will not have much bearing on whether he gets a farewell Test series at home, as Travis Head’s return looms large.

David Warner’s commanding World Cup form is unlikely to have any bearing on whether he gets the green light from selectors to play what he hopes will be a farewell Test series against Pakistan this summer.

Meanwhile Australian selection chair George Bailey says Travis Head is a lock to return to the top of the order when available again – which could be as soon as Wednesday’s game against the Netherlands in Delhi – meaning a rejig of the Australian top order looms large for the back half of the World Cup.

Back-to-back wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, combined with other results, has catapulted Australia into the top four on the World Cup table and with reason for further optimism given Head has arrived in India as he prepares to play again after breaking his hand in South Africa last month.

The match against the Dutch is a live chance for Head’s comeback, with the following game against New Zealand in Dharamsala next Saturday also an option.

Warner was in supreme touch against Pakistan. (Photo by R.Satish BABU / AFP)

“I don’t know how realistic it is,” Bailey said of Head’s chances of playing against the Netherlands.

“It can be a six to eight-week injury. He’s ticked all the boxes in terms of, you know, the four-week scan and the bone has healed and so that’s all going well and I guess he’s progressed really well through the week.

“It’s always nicer when you get eyes on it yourself. So he’ll come in with a fair bit of enthusiasm, I reckon, and the boys would be very excited to have him but clearly the whole point of having him and carrying him to this point is not to then risk it by bringing back early. So yeah, if it works out that it’s Dutch game, great. If it’s a little bit further on, then that’s OK.”

If Head plays against the Netherlands, he will be breaking up the pairing of Warner and Mitch Marsh that on Friday posted an Australian men’s World Cup-best first-wicket partnership of 259 in the win over Pakistan.

But Head’s importance means Marsh is likely to drop down the order and jeopardise Marnus Labuschagne’s spot in the XI.

“Clearly (Head) comes in at the top,” Bailey said.

“He’s been fantastic there for us and that’s where he’ll slot in. And then (from there) think we’ll just work out when it is, who you’re playing, surface, what you might need and we’ll work through it.”

Travis Head’s arrival looks set to break up to opening partnership of Marsh and Warner. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)

With 21 one-day centuries, Warner has cemented himself as a great of the format and an automatic pick for the remainder of the World Cup, issuing a reminder of his quality with 163 in Bangalore on Friday.

But there has been less certainty about his Test spot after a middling Ashes series in England and a three-year run in which he is averaging 28.9 with the bat in the longest format, with just one century.

Warner wants to play the three-Test series against Pakistan starting in mid-December as swan song in the baggy green, but Bailey said one-form would not hold much sway when Aussie selectors picked the Test squad.

“Not specific to Dave, but I think we’ve always said we try and separate out the formats,” Bailey said.

Originally published as ODI World Cup: Travis Head a lock to return soon, Warner’s Test future still clouded