Head embraces opening role after Ashes success

Travis Head, a middle-order regular for Australia in Tests till last year, got the important task of opening the innings following an untimely injury to Usman Khawaja in the first Ashes Test in Perth. 

The task wasn't a complete unknown one for Head, who is a regular white-ball opener and had previously featured as a strategic opening option during Tests against India and Sri Lanka, where he fared well scoring 321 runs at an average of 45.85.

And the batter lived up to the expectation with a blazing 123 off 83 balls on a tricky surface, setting the tone for Australia's dominant Ashes series win at home.

Travis Head after scoring a stellar ton against England at Perth // Getty Images //

The left-hander would score two more hundreds in the series and end up as the highest run-getter with 629 runs to his name.

His heroics ensured a second consecutive Allan Border Medal, but the left-hander doesn't see himself as a red-ball opener in the traditional sense.

“What have I played: 170-180 first-class games? I might have opened in ten [12] of them," Head was quoted by Cricinfo.

"I think it would suggest that I'm not an opening batter, a true opening batter, [in terms of] what Australian cricket is known [for]. Guys that have come through the grades opening the batting and played state cricket opening batting, and played Test cricket as opening batters."

And yet, Head was aware that he had the traits to succeed as an opener at the Test level.

“I think my game is conducive to playing well. I feel like I can do a role at the top. I'm at the top, but it's not [as] that true opening batter, if that makes sense. I know that I've still got to work continuously hard at the new ball. I know I'm going to make mistakes. That's okay. I'm very comfortable with where my game is at.”

His success as an opener during the Ashes provides Australia with a stellar opening option in the aftermath of Usman Khawaja's retirement from the game. 

Head is Australia's highest-run getter in the fourth edition of the ICC World Test Championship, with 853 runs at an average of 53.31, but looks beyond numbers when assessing his role in the game.

“I'd love to score hundreds, I'd love to be in the runs column all the time, but at the end of the day I'd just love to contribute to winning Test matches.”

Australia currently sit at the top of the World Test Championship standings and will next face Bangladesh in a two-Test series, beginning in Darwin on August 13.

For Head, the priority is not necessarily how his runs look on the scorecard, but how they contribute to Australia’s pursuit of victories.

“I just want to contribute to every Test match.

“We're going to play in a lot of different conditions over the next 12 months. It's going to require different efforts. It may not look like the traditional thing all the time.”

Australia’s WTC campaign will take them through a demanding schedule, with Bangladesh series followed by an upcoming three-Test tour of South Africa  and a home series against New Zealand. 

They will then face a five-Test campaign in India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy before the 150th Anniversary Test against England, potentially the World Test Championship Final and then next year's Ashes in England.

With Australia looking to reach a third-consecutive Final at The Oval next year, Head is focussed on playing a key part in his team's vision.

“I just want to be able to play a role that ends up winning Test matches.

“So I'm very comfortable in the fact that it's not going to work every day.”