Ryan Head, brother of Travis Head, reveals the opener’s incredible recovery from fractured hand

Ryan Head, brother of Travis, reveals the opener has had an incredible recovery from his fractured hand | Travis Head leads Australia to World Cup win

Ryan Head, brother of Australia’s World Cup hero Travis, has revealed the opener’s incredible recovery from a fractured hand that kept him out of the first half of the tournament. Head picked up the nasty injury during Australia’s five-match ODI series in South Africa in September after he was struck by a Gerald Coetzee delivery, which put his World Cup dream in jeopardy.

However, he returned with a bang. He marked his comeback with a magnificent 67-ball 109 against New Zealand at Dharamsala on October 28, which was Australia’s sixth match. But, it was Head’s performances in the semi-final and final that fully vindicated the team management’s decision to keep him in the squad despite his injury, winning player of the match on both occasions.

Just over a month ago, Travis couldn’t even open a bottle of water – Ryan Head

Speaking on the TODAY Show from Adelaide, Ryan revealed that Travis needed assistance to open a bottle of water as recent as a month or so ago. When asked whether he believed Travis could play in the World Cup Final, Ryan said it seemed like a long shot.

“Look, when we were sitting on the couch just over a month ago, and he’s in a splint, probably not,” he said. “For it to progress so quickly, get back in the nets, and start hitting them alright and feel good to go back out there and have that first game against New Zealand, and hit a ton… I don’t think you can almost get back as good as that.”

“He was sitting on the couch with his daughter on his lap asking Jess [Travis’ wife] to open a bottle of water for him because he can’t do it himself. It’s pretty surreal to think that’s the situation he was faced with early doors,” he continued. “And then to get back and have the two performances like that is just astonishing, really.”

Travis Head’s performances in the two crunch games vindicated Australia’s call to keep him in the squad. Since the start of 2022, Head has smashed 1,120 runs in 22 ODIs at an average of 58.9 and strike rate of 122. Add to that his bowling capability – on show in the semi-final where he dismissed Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen in consecutive deliveries – as well as his remarkable fielding, headlined by a stunning catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma and turn the final on its head.

“He was sitting on the couch with his daughter on his lap asking Jess to open a bottle of water for him because he can’t do it himself.”

Ryan Head on Travis’ fractured hand injury

Next up for Australia and Travis Head is a five-match T20I series against India starting this Thursday in another example of cricket’s unforgiving schedule. Videos surfaced online of Head enjoying himself in the post-World Cup final celebrations, and will quickly need to recover in time for the series should Australia select him in the playing XI right away.

Travis is having such a great time that brother Ryan hasn’t been able to get in touch. “I haven’t spoken to him. Haven’t been able to get a hold of him. He might be missing I think,” Ryan joked. “Hopefully he can get on the water before they start the T20s [against India].”