Head ready to open again in the second Ashes Test and says flexible hitters will be key

After powering Australia to victory after vaulting to the top of the rankings in the first Ashes Test, Travis Head arrived in Brisbane on Sunday to begin his preparations for the second, saying the future of Test cricket lies in the hands of batsmen who can bend into different positions. Head described flexible positions as “where the game is going”, and suggested that Australia “could already use these players in different ways to win cricket matches”.

Last month, Australia’s currently injured captain Pat Cummins described the concept of batting orders as “quite overrated”, insisting quality players “can bat anywhere” – a view Head echoed.

“I think you can use this order and these players in different ways to win cricket matches,” he said. “We’ve seen it in red-ball, and in particular pink-ball, but also in non-traditional things, with double night guards, and how you use orders and how you use players in certain situations. I agree with Pat that they are somewhat overrated. That’s, I think, where the game is going, and it’s when do you use that, when is the right time, when is it acceptable, and we’re going to have good and bad moments in it. It’s constantly evolving. We’ll see where we go come true.

“I feel I can play any role, so I’m open to it. It’s just trying to work out in the game and at times when that can come to the fore and when you can use that, but I think all options are on the table and have been for a long time, about where this team can potentially improve and where there are opportunities to potentially win cricket matches in a matter of moments. I think it’s always been on the table.”

Head reiterated his willingness to open the batting again in Brisbane this week and that he was “preparing for anything at this stage”. One thing he doesn’t do, however, is worry about the pink ball – “It’s still a cricket ball” – and the impact of playing much of the match under floodlights.

“There’s a lot of talk about lighting and when it does things and what it does and doesn’t do,” he said. “You just have to play the game in front of you. Some wickets are greener, some become flatter, some creak, some spin. The game and the wicket evolve over five days, the ball sometimes plays differently at different times.”

“I think half the skill of cricket is being able to adapt to moments and solve problems along the way. That certainly exists in pink-ball games, and the best team that can solve problems along the way and generally just play cricket and not think too much will have a pretty good week.”