'Play where I can': Head recommits for BBL|15

Australian batting star Travis Head has signed with Adelaide Strikers for a 14th straight season.

Head, the world's No.6 ranked T20 batter, has penned a new one-year deal, filling the 17th spot on the Strikers' 18-man playing roster for KFC BBL|15.

The 31-year-old hasn't played for his hometown club in the past two seasons due to his international commitments, but the back-end of this summer's BBL campaign shapes as a perfect lead in to next year's T20 World Cup where Head will be key to Australia's hopes.

Pending his fitness and workload management following five Ashes Tests, the destructive left-hander could be available for the Strikers' final three or four regular season fixtures and finals, if they qualify.

Australia's next engagement following the Ashes is the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, which is slated to get underway in mid-February. They are also due to visit Pakistan for three yet-to-be-scheduled T20 matches prior to the tournament.

The BBL|15 season concludes on January 25, likely well before Australia depart for Pakistan or the World Cup.

Adelaide Strikers BBL|15 squad (so far): Hasan Ali (contracted until BBL|15), Cameron Boyce (BBL|15), Jordan Buckingham (BBL|15), Alex Carey (BBL|17), Mackenzie Harvey (BBL|15), Travis Head (BBL|15), Thomas Kelly (BBL|16), Chris Lynn (BBL|15), Harry Nielsen (BBL|15), Jamie Overton (BBL|15), Lloyd Pope (BBL|16), Alex Ross (BBL|15), Jason Sangha (BBL|16), Liam Scott (BBL|16), Matt Short (BBL|17), Henry Thorton (BBL|15), Luke Wood (BBL|15)

Head last played for the Strikers in January 2023 but spoke last summer of his desire to remain involved with the club despite his increasingly heavy international schedule.

"I'll keep taking one step at a time with the Big Bash, I'm happy to be involved and happy to play where I can," he said in January during the Test tour of Sri Lanka, which meant he was unavailable for the Strikers in the second half of BBL|14.

"I'd love to be able to play (but) with our schedule at the moment, it's somewhat tough with a young family. CA (have) been pretty clear on the plan of when, where they want me and what I do play."

Head, who was named player of the tournament for the 2024 season of USA's Major League Cricket, said he wouldn't play in any other franchise tournaments outside of the Indian Premier League while he wasn't playing in the Big Bash.

The Australian opener has dominated at the top of the order for Sunrisers Hyderabad since returning to the IPL last year, scoring 941 runs at a strike rate of almost 180 in the past two seasons.

"I'll probably give up a little bit on the side; I won't play franchise cricket other than IPL," Head said at the time. 

"I played MLC last year, so I won't do that in the future while I'm not playing Big Bash.

"So I won't play anything other than that at this stage, and I think that gives me opportunity to have that time off.

"Test cricket is the most important thing at the moment for us as a group so I want to pull as much effort as I can into that."

Strikers coach Tim Paine said Head's experience will be useful for the side despite his limited presence.

"We're thrilled to welcome Travis back to the Strikers – not only for his explosive batting, but for the energy, leadership and experience he adds to the group," Paine said.

"We understand Trav has a busy international schedule, but we're really looking forward to welcoming him back into the side after the Ashes."

Head's recommitment follows Aussie teammate Mitchell Starc re-signing on the Sydney Sixers' BBL|15 supplementary list with the hope of ending his 11-season absence from Big Bash following the Ashes.

Starc now has a gap in his schedule after retiring from T20 internationals and, all things going to plan, said he was aiming to "get back on the field" for the Sixers in the second half of BBL|15.

Both Head and Starc will be unavailable until at least January 8 when the fifth Test against England in Sydney is scheduled to finish.

Head's Strikers play four games after the end of the fifth Test, including one on January 9 against reigning champions Hobart Hurricanes, with the Australian star's availability to be determined closer to the time.

Having recently played in Australia's three-match home ODI series against India, Head will also take part in Australia's five-match T20I series against India starting this Wednesday, before shifting his focus to the Ashes beginning on November 21 in Perth.

Meanwhile, the Strikers have one spot remaining on their primary roster for BBL|15 after locking in Chris Lynn for the entire season last month.

Their men's side will be looking to bounce back from their first ever bottom-of-the-table finish last season when they kick off their BBL|15 campaign on December 17 against the Sixers at the SCG.