SL vs AUS: Travis Head ruled out of 5th ODI against Sri Lanka due to hamstring issue
India Today
Travis Head suffered the injury in the fourth ODI, which Australia lost by four runs. Sri Lanka have already taken an unassaliable lead in the five-match series 3-1. The fifth ODI will take place on June 24.
Australia wicketkeeper-batter Travis Head has been ruled out of the fifth and final ODI against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring issue.
The 28-year-old suffered the injury in the fourth ODI, which Australia lost by four runs. Sri Lanka have already taken an unassaliable lead in the five-match series 3-1. The fifth and final ODI will take place on June 24 in Colombo.
The injury has put Head under cloud for the first Test, which begins on June 29, against Sri Lanka in Galle. If he fails to recover in time, Australia would be forced to rejig their middle order.
While giving details about Head's injury, Australia ODI captain Aaron Finch was quoted as saying: "(It's a) bit more of a precaution."
Finch also confirmed that Mitchell Starc continues to be unavailable for the match due to the stitching on his finger. The speedster sustained a cut through the spike of his boot in the first T20I. And Steve Smith is unlikely to be risked as he nurses a quad strain.
"Especially where he fields in the outfield, he does quite a lot of kilometres and the ground is quite heavy. Not sure what he's looking like for the Test matches. Just one more to add to the list at the moment.
"Starcy is still not right with his finger. Where it is, the stitching is still not quite 100 percent healed. Without being able to bowl without tape on, he'll be out as well," Finch said.
