Head, who broke his hand, will not require surgery, but his participation in the 50-over megaevent is in serious doubt now. Speaking after Australia’s 2-3 defeat in the series, which they were leading 2-0 after winning the first two matches, McDonald said Head will not require surgery after fracturing a joint on his left hand during the fourth ODI in Pretoria but will not be available until the midway point of Australia’s nine-match group stage campaign.

“The timeframe is still a bit loose at the moment, but the good news is he doesn’t require surgery as it sits at the moment,” McDonald said.

“There will be an extended period of time out, and we’ve just got to weigh up whether that time out falls with an option to carry him through the front half of the World Cup.

“There’s no doubt he won’t be available for the front half, so that’s a decision we’ll have to make for the final 15-player squad. But I can’t give you an exact time frame.”

“I can’t talk on behalf of the selection panel and lock him away in the World Cup 15, but it’s no doubt looking likely,” McDonald said of Labuschagne’s World Cup hopes.

“He’s made a significant shift in his intent at the crease and is putting the bowlers under more pressure than he was potentially 12 months ago. He’s struck out at around a 100 strike rate in this series.”

“We know Marnus is a quality player, and he probably didn’t have the 12–18 months in one-day cricket that he would have liked. But he’s no doubt taken that opportunity with both hands, and there’s no doubt he’ll be front and centre when it comes to that 15-man squad down the track.”