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"Nice to do the role": Head reflects on "dream" series
Nicholas Quinlan • January 9th, 2026 2:23 am
Following yet another exceptional Ashes series, Travis Head has stated his elation in helping Australia secure a 4-1 series victory after being deployed as an opener.
The 2021/22 Compton-Miller Medallist had previously opened the batting for Australia in the white ball formats as well as in India and Sri Lanka for the Test side, but never in a home Test.
That would change, though, with Usman Khawaja unable to open following his back spasm injury in the second innings.
With the opportunity, the left-hander took to it like a duck to water as he played a game-winning innings of 123.
After that awe-inspiring knock, Head remained as No. 1 in the batting order for the rest of the Ashes.
And in the remaining eight innings he played, he would score two 150+ run scores to be the leading run scorer for the series with 629 runs.
While Head was quick to say that the batting line-up, which includes his opening spot, is not locked in beyond this series, he was glad that he was able to fill the hole left by David Warner after several conversations with coach Andrew McDonald about it.
“I’m holding on to that little bit of secrecy,” he said with a grin to SEN Cricket.
“We’ll keep everyone on their toes with the rolling order we keep talking about.
“But look, I said I was open about how much I talked about it over the last couple of years since Davey (Warner) left about poking and prodding Ron (Andrew McDonald), saying, ‘Ronny, I feel like I could be that person’.
“Now that’s never ever guaranteed, and there’s going to be question marks, and I’ll go to South Africa, and I could face 18 balls for the series, I’ve joked about that going, ‘It could be really tough opening the batting’.
“I understand that. I’m not bullish around opening batting. I’ve had the series (that) I probably could (only) dream of.
“It’s been nice to do the role. I think it sets up the team well; we made the right decision in Perth. It was an aggressive option; it worked, I bat well with Jake (Weatherald).
“So, in isolation in these five Tests, it worked, and it was great, and I’m glad that I was able to stand up and do the job that was required because there has been a little bit of a hole there.
“The only question mark around our batting order has been the top. So, it’s nice to put that to bed and make that quiet, and we’ll worry about it in six or seven months' time.”
While the Ashes may now reached its conclusion, there is still plenty of Test Cricket ahead in 2026 and 2027.
After a two-Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay, they’ll face the reigning World Test Champions, South Africa, in South Africa in what will be Australia’s first Test tour since the infamous sandpaper incident.
Then, it’s back home to take on their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a four-Test series, which is then followed by two five-Test series against India and England, away from home.
And with a likely appearance in the World Test Championship Final at Lord's in 2027, Australia will have a full dance card full of Test matches.
But despite the tough Tests, the South Australian is looking forward to it all.
“You probably don’t get three bigger series (than that),” he elaborated.
“I’ve not been to South Africa for a Test tour, (I've) been there for a couple of One Day tours now.
“That’s going to be a niggly trip. It’s going to be hard work, I think the crowds, the wickets, the opposition, obviously, that’s going to be a tough one.
“And you go by history, and there’s always something that happens, there’s always something that pricks up, and they are challenging.
“And then you roll into India and England, and don’t forget we've got New Zealand in the summer.
“So, the next four/five series for us are going to be huge, and you’re probably going to look at and probably see three, four or five different changes post when we get to that stage.
“We sit here every summer, and go is the next little bit career-defining? Is it team-defining?
"And that's for you guys to worry about.
“But every time we go out there, everything is career-defining.”
While the Test side won’t play another match until August, Head will once again be representing the green and gold next month for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
