Connolly 'getting into Head's brain' after Test recall

Cooper Connolly will take inspiration from Travis Head's transition from the middle- to the top-order if selectors follow through on a bold suggestion to bat him in the top three in next month's Test series against South Africa.

In 50-over cricket, Connolly's case to bat at No.3 at next year's World Cup is growing stronger after backing up his 134-ball 149 (while opening) against Bangladesh in June with a rapid-fire half-century (from three) in Australia’s ODI series opener against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

But the difference between facing Brad Evans and Blessing Muzarabani with a new white ball on a sluggish Harare surface, and Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada (fitness pending) with a red ball on a Cape Town green-top, is immense.

Head’s unexpected and successful move from No.5 to the opening spot – drawing on his extensive experience opening in ODI and T20I cricket – during last summer's Ashes may be a handy blueprint.

Connolly revealed he has kept a close eye on the left-hander’s red-ball approach having now opened or batted three in his last seven white-ball internationals. The recently-turned 23-year-old also thrived in this year's Indian Premier League after being elevated by Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting,

"I probably get into Heady's brain a little bit because I feel like I play a similar way in red-ball cricket to him," Connolly told cricket.com.au.

"So just understanding how he goes about it and how he reads the game. I think over the last two or three years I've sort of understood his game a little bit more as I've played with him a little bit longer.

"It's just taking the learnings from everyone in the group, the people that have played a lot of Test cricket for Australia, and understanding what it's like to play in all these different conditions when I'm on these tours.

"It's about understanding and learning more and more of other players – you start to bring in things that they use that might work for your game."

Incumbent first-drop Marnus Labuschagne is in the 16-player squad for the hotly-anticipated Test series but his spot has not been guaranteed after failing to arrest a middling run of form in last month's northern Tests against Bangladesh.

Connolly and Josh Inglis are the reserve batters, yet the pair have more typically batted at five or below in long-form cricket. Both had success when deployed higher in red-ball tour matches last summer – Connolly struck 88 against England Lions from No.4, while Inglis scored 125no against the same opposition. Selectors have not ruled out further additions to the Test squad.

Connolly batted at three for one Sheffield Shield match in March on his return from the T20 World Cup, before Western Australia left him out of their next match when he was unavailable to bowl.

Given that, combined with Connolly’s lack of red-ball reps overall, it would be an extraordinary call to throw him in the deep end against the reigning Test world champions.

But his overall case to add to his one Test cap has not been hurt by his return to the bowling crease this week, claiming 1-23 from four overs in the first ODI having overcome a back 'hot spot' that had forced him to play as a specialist batter for five months.

"If you look at how many red-ball games I've played, I haven't played too many," said Connolly, who has batted between 5-8 in all but two of his 21 first-class innings.

"When I get the opportunity, I'll try to make the most of it, and whether that's at three or it's in the middle order, I'm more than happy to play in either position. It's a strong Test squad and they've been strong for a long period of time. It's just about trying to learn as much as possible from guys of like Smudge (Steve Smith) and 'Heady'."

Selection chief George Bailey has suggested Connolly will be capable of batting at three, "whether that's now, whether that's in the future.

"I think he's got a game that's well suited to the middle order but no doubt, as he matures and continues to grow his game, I think there's a capacity there where he could bat further up the order," Bailey said earlier this month.

Connolly had been in an airport security line not long prior to Bailey saying that when the selection boss phoned with news of Test recall, more than 18 months on from his surprise Test debut as a spin-bowling No.8 in Sri Lanka last year.

His white-ball captain Mitch Marsh was the first person he told, by virtue of the Perth-based pair being on the same Sydney-bound flight. "I said to Mitch, should I call Mum or Dad first?" Connolly recalled.

"Mum won't like this, but I called Dad first – then Mum happened to be in the room, and then she got stuck into me for calling Dad first. They're super proud."

His parents had kept his Baggy Green safe in the intervening time while he had been away. "It's obviously still pretty new," said the Perth-born allrounder. "I've only played one Test, so hopefully over time I can get a bit of colour into it.

"But definitely you look at it every now and then, and you go, 'I want to put that that back on one day'."

Connolly conceded he had been in awe of Marsh's early pull-shot blitz against Zimbabwe this week as the pair put on 50 in just 42 balls during Australia's Powerplay.

With Smith retired from ODIs, Labuschagne dropped and spin overs from another retiree in Glenn Maxwell needing to be replaced, Connolly's hopes of securing a World Cup berth back in southern Africa next year are strengthening.

"I'd love to be on that tour," he said. "It's obviously a dream to play in a one-day World Cup."

"I'd love to bat in the top order, but the one-day team's been a strong team for a while, and they've always been strong at the top. So it's just trying to be as versatile as possible and if I can nail that opportunity, so be it. But if there's another opportunity down the order where I'm going to fit in, I'm more than happy to fit in there."

Qantas tour of Zimbabwe 2026

All matches broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: Australia beat Zimbabwe by 59 runs

Second ODI: September 18, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

Third ODI: September 20, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (c), Ben Curran, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Ernest Masuku, Graeme Cremer, Innocent Kaia, Newman Nyamhuri, Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Wessly Madhevere

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: September 24, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster