Head happy at the top, backs fellow opener to fire in Sydney

Australia batter Travis Head has revealed he is happy to continue in his role as opener as the Ashes series against England heads to Sydney for the final Test of the home summer.

Head has been a revelation for Australia since his move to the top of the order and the in-form left-hander has already scored two centuries in the role during the Ashes to be the leading run-scorer of the series.

While Head made his mark in the Australian side coming in at No.5, the 31-year-old suggested he is keen to stay at the top of the batting order should it be to the betterment of the team.

“I feel good at the top,” Head said in Melbourne on Sunday less than 24 hours after England clinched the Boxing Day Test over Australia by four wickets.

“I felt like I’m batting well. I think I’m lining it up well.

“It’s been pleasing to be able to contribute in different ways.”

While Head's spot inside the top six remains locked in, the future of some of his teammates is facing scrutiny following a glut of low scores from a host of players across the first four matches of the Ashes.

Fellow opener Jake Weatherald has managed just 146 runs from eight innings since earning his Test debut at the start of the summer, the form of mainstays Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne has been inconsistent and the future of veteran batter Usman Khawaja remains clouded despite some handy knocks in recent times.

Following the match against England in Sydney that commences on January 4, Australia aren't scheduled to play their next ICC World Test Championship contest until the backend of 2026 and Head is urging selectors to stick with Weatherald at the top of the order.

“International cricket is extremely tough and you look at some of the guys early in their career, (Australia batter) Nathan McSweeney last year was under the pump a little bit,” Head said.

“The wickets have been challenging across the board the last few years, that’s well documented, it’s not an excuse.

“I think (Jake) is a good enough cricketer for international cricket, I think he’s shown a lot of glimpses across his first four Tests.

“It’s not always going to go your way, there’s a lot of guys who have looked like they’re under the pump with the bat who are some of the best in our generation.

“It can be a tough way to start your international career but I think he’s a good enough player to play international cricket.”

Ashes schedule:

First Test: Perth Stadium, November 21-22 (Australia won by eight wickets)
Second Test: Gabba, December 4-7 (Australia won by eight wickets)
Third Test: Adelaide Oval, December 17-21 (Australia won by 82 runs)
Fourth Test: MCG, December 26-30 (England won by four wickets)
Fifth Test: SCG, January 4-8