By webdesk 
Ashton Agar has been ruled out of the upcoming World Cup in India with a calf injury. He is not expected to recover from the injury in time for the tournament, which begins on October 8.
Travis Head, who suffered a fractured hand during the fourth ODI against South Africa, is also facing an uncertain future ahead of the World Cup. He is not expected to recover until late October at the earliest.
If selectors decide to cut Head from the finalized 15-player squad, he cannot be added back in unless there is an injury. However, Head cannot be replaced with another player if they decide to carry him in the squad until he recovers.
Australia’s World Cup opener will be against host nation India at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, October 8.
This is a big blow to Australia’s World Cup chances. Agar is a key part of the Australian bowling attack, and Head is a versatile batsman who can bat anywhere in the order.
It will be interesting to see how selectors respond to these injuries. They may decide to carry both Head and Agar in the squad, even if they are not fit for the early stages of the tournament. This would give them the option to add them back into the team later in the tournament if they recover.
Alternatively, selectors may decide to cut both Head and Agar from the squad and select two other players in their place. This would be a more risky approach, as it would leave Australia with less depth in their batting and bowling attacks.
Only time will tell how selectors respond to these injuries. However, one thing is for sure: Australia’s World Cup chances have taken a hit.
Zainab Shafiq