Australian left-hander Travis Head has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the New Year’s 4th Ashes Test in Sydney, Cricket Australia revealed the news on Friday (31st December).
Australian left-hander Travis Head has been infected by Covid-19 and will miss the New Year’s 4th Ashes Test in Sydney, Cricket Australia confirmed the news on Friday (31st December).
The Cricket Board has added Mitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson, and Josh Inglis as additional back-up to their Test squad.
The 28-year-old came out positive for Covid-19 in a routine PCR test. He is having an asymptomatic infection and will remain in isolation with his partner in Melbourne as per Victorian Health and Government regulation.
The uncertainty ruled him out of the fourth Ashes Test which will not have much impact on the series as Australia has already defended the urn following wins in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne.
Head is the latest victim in the emerging fifth wave of Covid-19 from Australia. Yesterday, ICC match referee David Boon and England’s head coach Chris Silverwood were under suspicion and moved into isolation.
The tally of cases in the England traveling contingent, which includes families of players and support staff members, stands at seven.
Meanwhile, a Big Bash League contest between Melbourne Stars and the Perth Scorchers also had to be postponed in Melbourne because of emerging positive cases in the Stars’ camp.
Simultaneously, Australian captain Pat Cummins had to miss the Day-Night Test in Adelaide after he was suspected to be in close contact with the person that subsequently tested positive.
Head, who is under isolation and Cricket Australia hopes, he will return for the series-ending fifth Test in Hobart and be in fine form after being reinstated as the team’s No.5 at the start of the series.
He began the series Test with a blistering knock of 152 at The Gabba before adding another crucial half-century in Adelaide to make a total of 248 runs in the series from three Tests, which took him to second only after Joe Root’s 253.
Usman Khawaja is preparing to fill the gap in the middle order after Travis Head as he is expected to feature in Sydney.
