Travis Head will maintain his role as an opener for the fifth and final Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The 31-year-old batsman has made himself the top performer of the series, collecting a total of 437 runs. He has impressed with his recent ascension to Perth’s top order and it has piqued the interest of Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald. Now he’s considering the effects on the team’s future roster decisions.
Head’s journey as an opener began when he capitalized on an opportunity created by Usman Khawaja’s back injury, which led to a famous match-winning century in the opening Test. Since that time, he’s solidified his power and increased his standing. He did so through an outstanding century in Adelaide and being the leading run-getter in a bowler-infested two-day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
A Series of Impressive Performances
We’ve seen some incredible cricket over the course of the series, and for my money, Head has been Australia’s standout batsman. His performance has been further anchored by an uncanny knack for coming through in high-leverage situations to put runs on the board. He is known to be at his best when batting at number five, averaging 41.46 in that position. That average jumps up to 52.64 once he opens the batting. This dramatic turnaround is a testament to his versatility and talent, batting in various places in the order.
Head’s experience as an opener isn’t something you should be unfamiliar with. He’s already led Australia to Test victories in India and Sri Lanka. His opening alliance with fellow South Australian batsman Jake Weatherald looks a strong and exciting prospect. It has that potential to change depending on what they do now moving forward.
“I felt good at the top, I felt like I’ve been batting well … I feel like I’ve been able to do a job for the team that’s put us in winning positions.” – Travis Head
Open to Team Needs
He likes Head’s talent, but despite his success, Head stays humble when discussing his role within the team. He doesn’t force the issue to remain atop the order. Rather, he is willing to jettison that for what most serves the team’s interests. His motivations are not even purely personal, as his main hope is to help Australia be the best that it can be.
“What I’ve always been open to is how can we make the team better.” – Travis Head
He wants to put on record that while he may seem to be challenging, he has complete faith in the selectors’ unfettered wisdom on PositionBatNumber.
“I have full confidence in wherever they see me fit that, that’s the best thing for the team, and that’s how I’m more than pleased to set up,” – Travis Head
Looking Ahead
Head’s consistent presence at the top of the order has been key to that success. This has produced the solid groundwork for his performance thus far. His versatility would prove to be very important to the team’s ongoing efforts to earn a series-best sixth place finish in the owners championship series. With discussions around his partnership with Weatherald ongoing, Head’s flexibility and focus on teamwork will play a significant role in shaping Australia’s batting strategy.
