"He's pretty close to negative": Pat Cummins backs Travis Head to recover from COVID in time for Gabba Test

Pat Cummins, Travis Head (Pic: AFP/File Pic)

Australia captain Pat Cummins is confident that star batter Travis Head will be able to take place in the second Test against West Indies despite having COVID-19 and believes that the left-handed batter is "pretty close to a negative."

Head postponed his arrival in Brisbane by one day to allow himself more time to heal at home, but he was scheduled to work out with the rest of the squad at the Gabba on Tuesday evening. There is still hope that he may test negative before the start of the game, but even if he does not, he will be free to play, although with certain additional precautions in place.

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"Think he's almost out of it. He's fine, and feeling good. Think he'll train tonight. Obviously, even if he's still positive he can still play, there'll just be a few protocols. But think he's pretty close to a negative," said Pat Cummins as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

In Adelaide, Head's 119 off 134 balls turned an uncertain Australia first innings into a lead, nearly enough to win by an innings in two days.

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Given that the game began on a Wednesday, there was no Test cricket over the weekend at Adelaide. As a bowler, Cummins is unlikely to shy away from early finishes - and has cited the shorter Tests this summer as a reason why Australia's attack would remain intact throughout the home season - but he also believes that contests, where the ball holds sway, produce more exciting sport.

"I've played in Tests that have fizzled out into a five-day draw and think everyone walks away feeling a bit empty whereas [have] played in two or three-day matches where everyone can't take their eyes off the TV for a minute. Ideally, you want it to go a bit longer than two days but you want it to be a good contest between bat and ball. A couple of the Tests this summer have been fantastic, feels like every session has importance and each side can win," he said.

The second Test match between Australia and West Indies will be played on Thursday at the Gabba in Brisbane.

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