Travis Head not ruling out immediate ODI return against the Dutch on Wednesday

Aussie batsman Travis Head is in India, and while George Bailey said he is a walk-up starter in the team when fit, when exactly will that be? The opener says it could be sooner than we think.

Opener Travis Head says there will be psychological barriers to overcome when he returns from his broken hand but he is progressing well and has not ruled out being available to play against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Head has reunited with his Australian teammates in Delhi after being ruled out of the early stages of the World Cup following a blow to his left hand from a vicious Gerald Coetzee delivery during the tour of South Africa last month.

In a sign of how just how highly he is rated by Aussie selectors, Head was kept in the 15-man squad despite being unable to play until the middle stages of the tournament.

Selection chair George Bailey said a fit Head was an automatic inclusion at the top of the order.

The aggressive left-hander pulled up well after a hit in the nets with Australian coaches on Saturday night and at training on Monday will further press his claims to take on the Dutch.

Head has not featured since the tour of South Africa. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)

The Aussies could opt to take a conservative route with Head and return him to the side for the following match against New Zealand in Dharamsala on Saturday.

“I had a really good hit yesterday,” Head said on Sunday in Delhi.

“I think each session is getting better but, again, got to be mindful of the fact that it was five weeks (since the injury) a couple of days ago.

“And I got told that six-week mark but everything seems to be going well.

“It’s how I wake up this morning. It’s how I can potentially back up tomorrow and train and there are still a few things I need to tick off.

“But I’m optimistic. We’ll see what happens, so if it continues on at this rate, who knows, and I’ll keep doing the things day-by-day to hopefully give myself the best chance.”

Head accepted there would be some mental hurdles to overcome when he returned to face world-class pace but backed himself to cope.

“I’ve no doubt there will be a little bit but I don’t think I’ve been someone over my whole career to worry too much about head noise,” Head said.

“The sessions I’ve had so far, confidence has come back pretty well.

“I have confidence in the medical staff as well and have been told the bones are healed.

“The stiffness and some of the pain, you can deal with it, as long as I’m not doing any damage to it.

“I have the confidence to know that I’m not doing damage to it. A little bit of pain’s OK.

“First time in the rehab group, it’s not very enjoyable. So the quicker I get back, the better.”

Head, who is also a handy off-spinner, has been able to continue bowling during his recovery in Adelaide but is yet to return to intense fielding.

Head could come straight back into an in-form Aussie side. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)

“I’ve been doing some catching but not full tilt yet,’’ he said. “So that’s another thing that we need to tick off over the next few days.

“So optimistic. It’s important to understand the process and not try to rush it too much because that can set us back but it feels good.

“So catching hasn’t been an issue so far. The progression over the next several days is to field and see where I’m at. Take it slow to make sure once I come back that I’m ready to.”

Head said he was thankful selectors had backed him in despite the injury.

“It’s not something that I expected at the time,” he said. “A range of emotions through those three or four days early on to think that I sort of missed a chance and again to be involved. And I felt like I was contributing well.

“There were a lot of things that needed to go really well and I’m very fortunate that the group stayed healthy as well because that was another scenario that might not have (allowed me to come back).

“So very happy the boys were all fit and going well. That has led them to keep me around, which is nice.

“It’s also nice to have the confidence to potentially do the right things and now it’s a case of hopefully day-by-day getting better.

“And I can contribute at the end and I guess pay a bit of faith back that they have kept me in and hopefully I can contribute when I come back.”

Originally published as Travis Head not ruling out immediate ODI return against the Dutch on Wednesday