Travis Head tests positive for COVID-19, will delay arrival in Brisbane

Travis Head may have to play the Brisbane Test under team isolation protocols after testing positive for COVID-19 when he felt unwell at the end of the first Test of the series in Adelaide.

Cricket Australia has confirmed to this masthead that Head’s arrival in Brisbane will be held back until Tuesday morning to give him more time to recover. The team’s main training session at the Gabba is scheduled for 5pm on Tuesday.

Travis Head produced a match-winning century in Adelaide, but tested positive for COVID-19 a short time later.Credit: AP

Head fell ill after the Adelaide Test – in which he won the match award for a vital century that built a game-winning lead for Australia on a testing surface – and was subsequently found to have COVID.

While the team was set to reconvene in Brisbane on Monday to prepare for Thursday’s day/night Test, Head will spend an extra night at home in the hope he will test negative by the time he joins the team.

However, if Head is still testing positive, he will be able to train and play under isolation protocols demonstrated when fellow squad member Matt Renshaw discovered he had COVID in the minutes before the start of last year’s SCG Test against South Africa.

On that occasion, Renshaw was clear to play but had to spend the game watching on television in a separate room from the rest of the team when he wasn’t on the field. While fielding, Renshaw was socially distanced from the team.

He was also isolated from the rest of the team at their hotel until he tested negative.

Similar protocols were first tested out during the Commonwealth Games women’s cricket final in Birmingham in August 2022, when Australian all-rounder Tahlia McGrath played in the gold medal match despite testing positive beforehand.

“I think it was handled extremely well from Cricket Australia’s point of view, in terms of having protocols in place and making sure everyone in the team was comfortable that she was playing,” Beth Mooney said at the time. “They did all the right things. Our medical staff did all the right things in making sure we were keeping everyone safe.”

Head’s illness emerged as Usman Khawaja was rendered completely clear to play at the Gabba after passing all regular tests for delayed concussion following a heavy blow to the helmet grille and jaw from Shamar Joseph with scores level on the final day of the Adelaide Test.

“Usman Khawaja has been cleared to play the second Test match against the West Indies in Brisbane,” a team spokesperson said.

“Khawaja was assessed again today and has no symptoms of delayed concussion. He will train at the Gabba tomorrow.”

Coincidentally, Khawaja’s opportunity to return to the Test side in January 2022 after a three-year absence came about because of a an earlier bout of COVID suffered by Head. The illness ruled him out of that year’s SCG Test when stricter isolation and testing rules were still in place to ensure the completion of the series.

He has subsequently made the opening spot his own with an impressive string of scores, keeping the likes of Marcus Harris, Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft out of the side before another opportunity was seemingly opened by the retirement of David Warner.

Usman Khawaja leaves the field after being hit on the jaw by a bouncer in the first Test against the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval.Credit: Getty

While the selectors chose instead to recall all-rounder Cameron Green to bat at number four while promoting Steve Smith to open with Khawaja, Renshaw has returned to the squad as the most adaptable reserve batter available.

His chances of returning to the team in Khawaja’s place have diminished with each concussion test passed by the Queensland captain, who was also cleared of a fractured jaw after his run in with Joseph.

Khawaja, meanwhile, has put his “All Lives Matter” shoes up for auction, with the proceeds to go to UNICEF. He had previously released a T-shirt emblazoned with an image of the shoes, with proceeds from T-shirt sales also to go to the charitable cause.

“Hey everyone. Want to announce I’m auctioning off my shoes! It ends 12th February,” Khawaja wrote on Instagram. “All proceeds will go to ‘Unicef Children of Gaza’ appeal. The kids need your help now more than ever and as always thank you for your support and generosity. All you guys have been amazing.”

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.