South Australian cricketer Travis Head earns timely national recall ahead of World Cup

Travis Head is expected to replace Aaron Finch in the Australian ODI team after the former captain retired from the 50-over format.

Nic Savage

@nic_savage1

2 min read

November 8, 2022 - 3:26PM

Travis Head of Australia. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Travis Head is expected to replace former Australian ODI captain Aaron Finch in the national starting XI, with the South Australian earning a timely recall ahead of next year’s World Cup.

On Tuesday, Cricket Australia announced squads for next week’s bilateral ODI series against England and this summer’s two-Test series against the West Indies.

For the first time in nearly 24 months, Australia unveiled a full-strength ODI squad with every player available for selection following their failed T20 World Cup campaign.

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Australia will be led by newly-appointed captain Pat Cummins, who replaced Finch as ODI captain last month, while Head will occupy the vacancy at the top of the order alongside veteran opener David Warner.

The 28-year-old beat out the likes of Ben McDermott and Josh Philippe for the role, while New South Wales opener Daniel Hughes could consider himself unlucky to miss out.

“Our focus is to continue to build a squad with an eye to next year’s World Cup under Pat as the new ODI captain, so it’s an important series,” chair of selectors George Bailey said in a statement.

“Travis Head returns in place of Aaron Finch having played well in Pakistan and Sri Lanka earlier in the year. He has demonstrated flexibility in the types of roles he can play in our ODI line-up.

“Our next opportunity in the ODI format will be in India next year which will allow us to experience similar conditions as for the World Cup in October.”

Travis Head of Australia. Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images

Head has averaged 45.53 from 15 knocks when opening the batting at ODI level, scoring two centuries including a classy 101 against Pakistan in Lahore earlier this year.

He and Warner already boast Australia’s largest partnership in ODI history, combining for a 284-run opening stand against Pakistan at Adelaide Oval in 2017.

Last year, Head became the first Australian to score multiple List A double centuries after plundering 230 off 127 balls against Queensland at Karen Rolton Oval in the Marsh Cup.

“I think Travis Head will get some opportunities with the retirement of Aaron Finch,” Australian coach Andrew McDonald said this week.

“We’re excited to see what he can do in one-day cricket.

“We saw how he went in Pakistan against a world-class attack, he was able to take them on and his one-day domestic record is second to none.

“He’s got big hundreds, and double hundreds.”

West Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis missed out on selection, along with pacemen Sean Abbott and Jhye Richardson.

The series opener between Australia and England gets underway on Thursday, November 17, with the first ball scheduled for 2.20pm AEDT.