Head sets sights on spinning allrounder role

It has been a big 12 months for Travis Head. High expectations have been placed on Head since his Sheffield Shield debut at the age of 18 and his potential was always on display, but the one large gap in his record was hundreds. In fact, at the start of last season he had made only one: 108 for the National Performance Squad in a one-day game against South Africa in Darwin in 2014. But over the past year, Head's numbers have exploded.

It all started with 202 against Western Australia in the Matador Cup, the second-highest score in Australia's domestic one-day competition history. Then came a maiden first-class century, 114 also against Western Australia. Then there was an unbeaten 101 in the BBL, 134 and 192 to finish off the Shield season, and last month he made his name in England with 175 for Yorkshire in England's domestic one-day cup.

No surprises, then, that Head is part of Australia's ODI squad in Sri Lanka, where on Sunday he added a second cap having made his debut against West Indies in June. Although he managed only 10 having come in at 202 for 5 in a chase of 228, he got a taste of the Sri Lankan conditions and will be better placed for the second match.

"I feel like I'm in really good nick," Head told reporters in Colombo ahead of the second ODI. "I feel like I'm batting really well. I've scored runs. It's all worked towards here and now. It was nice to get some games in England. I think I've had a nice round experience in the last 12 months, I've experienced different things, different conditions, different players, observed a lot and just watched guys go about their business, which has helped me."

Notably, Head was also used for four overs of his part-time offspin and in the absence of the axed Glenn Maxwell, the No.7 spin-bowling allrounder position is one that Head is testing out during this series. Head joined the Test squad ahead of the third Test in Colombo and did plenty of bowling in the nets, but he knows there is work ahead of him if he wants to be selected as a legitimate allrounder.

"I'm pretty raw, still, with my bowling," Head said. "That's helped me coming over here that I've learnt the style the Sri Lankans have been bowling their spin. I haven't come in here with a certain way of going about things. I'm pretty open-minded on my bowling.

"I just want to try and find the conditions as best as possible. If that can get me selected, the second string to my batting - I'm there to make runs - but if I can come in and do a job with the ball that's a positive. That's what I'm heading towards, working on as much as possible, so that I can be a genuine option.

"I played last year at home as No.1 but probably wasn't ready for that role, but took it on and did an okay job. Leading into the season if I can do as much bowling as possible and make myself a genuine spinner - that's my goal."

That will be one of the summer's aims for Head, the South Australia captain, especially knowing that a Test tour of India is coming up in February-March. Australia's selectors will be on the lookout for batsmen who can handle the spinning conditions for that series after the Test debacle in Sri Lanka, and although Head has played only one first-class game in Asia - he made 31 and 50 against India A in Chennai last year - he believes his game could suit those conditions.

"I played one four-day game in India when I was there last and I got two starts," Head said. "I got a 50 and a 30 and I had a pretty good game-plan, pretty similar to how I played the other night. I'm always going to be positive and aggressive. It's a long way away, that Test series. It's a big summer. I've got to get runs on the board, that's the main issue with everyone in the summer."