Head's got it up top as full-time opener's berth seems 'likely'

Travis Head has given the clearest indication yet that he will remain Australia's Test opener beyond the Ashes, saying it's "likely" he will continue in the role that became his with instant success in Perth, and has since developed into the one of the great series.

Head joined the lofty heights of those to have hit 600 runs in an Ashes for Australia - something that has only been done on 11 previous occasions by seven previous players - having walked out to open for the first at home in the run-chase at Perth Stadium six weeks ago.

He thrashed 123 off 83 balls that day, followed it with 170 on his home ground at Adelaide Oval to ensure Australia would win the Ashes, and has capped the series with 163 off 166 deliveries at the SCG. Alongside Mitchell Starc, who is closing in on 30 wickets for the series, he will be a strong contender for the Compton-Miller medal as player of the series.

This innings was the seventh time Head had been dismissed between 150 and 175 in Test cricket, when he missed a sweep against Jacob Bethell, but - having been given a life on 121 when Will Jacks dropped a sitter at deep midwicket - he laughed off the wait for a double century.

"Beggers can't be choosers," he said. "It's a pretty s**t stat, isn't it? Much rather 160, 170 than zero to 10. So I ain't going to complain about that. Probably had a couple of chances [for a double] in the series but, yeah, pegs up and watch the boys go about it."

After this match Australia have a seven-month break in Test cricket before facing Bangladesh in August. While he is reluctant to lock in for the future, everything points to Head being at the top when the team begins a run of what could be 21 Tests in 11 months, if they succeed in qualifying for their third WTC final in 2027.

"Probably likely," he said. "But we've got a lot of time. Right now, you sit here and say the next Test we are going to play, I'm coming off a hundred opening the batting, so probably going to look likely.

"But this rolling order and where we think guys are going to match up, I think, is still where my head's at. With the leadership of the group and the selectors, we've been pretty open about that, how we match up and how we want to best suit this team."

Head's initial promotion came when Usman Khawaja suffered a back spasm during the first Test, and so was unable to partner Jake Weatherald, who was himself making his Test debut. Marnus Labuschagne had opened in Khawaja's absence in the first innings, before Head was unleashed to hunt down Australia's victory target of 205.

"I felt like it was the right call in Perth to go that way," he added. "There was never going to be guarantees I was able to get the job done, but I felt like it set our team up really well. The masterminds will go to work and set the team up how they think we're going to best be able to win Test matches. I've always said I'm happy either way."

Head, however, was happy to admit tallying 600 runs in the series was beyond his wildest expectations. "Extremely…600 runs, that's normally Smithy or Marnus, and I normally put the cherry on top," he said.

"I'm not normally the one that's doing the heavy lifting as such. The likes of Marn [Labuschagne] and Smudge [Smith] over the last period of time have been the heavy lifters and the guys that have really, really driven games and Davey [Warner] in the past and [Khawaja].

"I've been very lucky to bat around those guys. Nice to be able to pull a finger out and help them out on the other side. I wouldn't have come into the series thinking [of 600 runs]. I would have liked [to think] I was good enough to have a series like I have, but to do it and be as consistent as I have been is very pleasing."

Head's latest century completed a full set on all the Australian grounds where he has played a Test. It came at a venue where he has often struggled to impose himself, with a previous best of 70 coming when he threw the bat against South Africa in 2023. He explained it was a venue where opening the batting did make a significant difference.

"I haven't really scored a run here ever at the SCG because I've always felt like I've come in the same position as Smudge has come in today," he said. "A lot of runs on the board, catches in front of the wicket, probably a bit of a slower wicket, stump to stump, [where] it's hard to score. Trying to move the tempo of the game, I've probably found that challenging in the past.

"To be here and face a new ball with no catches and get away to a start and put pressure back on the bowlers, I enjoyed it. But again, it's going to be challenging in the next series. There's going to be moments where you probably look back and go, 'oh, five would be nice'. You can't have it both ways. I'm just in a nice bit of form and it's worked. It's been pleasing that it has worked."

Head has driven England's bowlers to distraction this series through his ability to hit good-length balls for four, although the visiting attack has fed his strengths outside off on regular occasions. However, he has also manufactured scoring areas for himself by moving around the crease to access certain areas of the field.

"I've always said, I'm going to weigh up the percentage of [getting] out," Head said. "I heard Joe [Root] talk about it in his innings, [trying] to keep the percentages low on getting out and maximise scoring potential.

"Where I felt I could score I'm going to take it [the short ball] on. There's other opportunities where I felt like I had to knock the one. So the balancing act, I was able to get it on my terms again and get through that plan, which was probably the disappointing part about getting out to Beth in that situation again. Sometimes it's going to work, sometimes it's not, but pleased with how I went in and out of tempos."

On his overall approach to his cricket, Head has found a mindset and method that works for him. "I love playing cricket for Australia," he said. "Some people take it more seriously than others. Yes, it's a big series. Yes, we want to win. At the end of the day, it's a game of cricket. It's a pretty cool week.

"I'm glad that we've batted the way we have today. It's going to be pretty cool in a couple of days' time [to reflect] on what we've achieved. So enjoying it for what it is. Being 160 is not bad…it's an enjoyable time to be in the middle. I've had fun. I'll do it a different way than some others. But it's been cool."