As Aussie ODI preparation turns towards next year's World Cup, the South Australian skipper has made it clear he wants his name very much in the top-order calculations
Recalled Head quickly stakes claim for top four spot
Travis Head's dashing return to Australia's one-day side after an almost three-and-a-half-year hiatus has already given the national selection panel something to chew on as preparations for next year's ODI World Cup begin coming into focus.
After stroking a 70-ball hundred on a flat Lahore pitch in last night's opening ODI against Pakistan, Head said he was delighted to be back in the XI and particularly happy to have been thrown an opportunity at the top of the order.
Head last night partnered Aaron Finch opening the batting, and while the Australia captain struggled to find any fluidity in his innings, it was the hard-hitting left-hander who found his groove, racing to fifty with a series of stunning off-side boundaries.
The South Australian was given a dozen innings at the top of the order during 2017 and 2018, the majority of which came during David Warner's 12-month suspension following the sandpaper scandal, and averaged 41.08 while striking at 98.80, with one century.
From his debut in June 2016 until his most recent match in Nov 2018, no Aussie played more ODI matches than Travis Head’s 42 (next most Finch, 36). He was then dropped in the lead-in to the 2019 World Cup. Can Head find his way into Australia’s 2023 WC plans? #PAKvAUS— Josh Schönafinger (@joshschon) March 29, 2022
Finch and Warner have set their sights on next year's ODI World Cup in India as their swansongs, during which they will both turn 37. The pair is the third-most prolific opening pairing in Australia's rich ODI history, and Head said he is willing to either bide his time behind them or find a place elsewhere in the top order.
"They've been an outstanding combination for a long time," he said. "I've waited a long time to get another opportunity, and to get it at the top is nice.
"I see myself trying to bat at the top of the order, or top three or four – for South Australia I've batted at three for a long period.
"If the opportunity arises like it has now, it's great, but if I have to wait a little bit longer after this series then so be it."
The three or four slot could well prove to be Head's best avenue for a World Cup spot. Since Australia's triumph at the 2015 tournament, Steve Smith is the only batter currently in the frame to have occupied either of those positions, the vast majority of which have been spent at first drop.
In 69 matches through that time, Smith has scored seven hundreds and averaged 45.61 while striking at 88.04. The other recent option in those positions has been Marnus Labuschagne, who has begun his ODI career impressively, averaging 43.30 and striking at 88.91 from the number four slot.
Given his prolific T20 form at No.3 last year, Mitch Marsh – who was set to bat at first drop this series until his hip flexor injury – could also come into calculations.
Whether Australia's selectors will want a point of difference from the two right-handed accumulators in Smith and Labuschagne in those positions remains to be seen, but should that be the case, Head is putting is hand up. In fact, after a lean Test series, he's putting his hand up to bat wherever is required.
"I've actually felt like I've been batting really well," said the 28-year-old. "I've felt like I've been moving to the ball really well, accessing it well.
"So it was nice to get some reward, because yeah, it's been a tough couple of weeks. I haven't got the amount of runs I would've liked but I've been happy with the process I've been going about things.
"The fundamental for me is my movement patterns, and how I'm hitting the ball.
"As a batter in one-day cricket you'd be silly not to say you want to bat as high as you possibly can, other than the guys that are specialists in the middle to lower order.
"I've batted at three for a period of time in domestic cricket, but the jump up is not much difference I don't feel, and I don't get too worried about that. I just go out, make sure I try and play good cricket shots."
Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022
First Test: Match drawn
March 12-16: Match drawn
March 21-25: Australia win by 115 runs
Pakistan ODI and T20 squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique*, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq*, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Saud Shakeel*, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir (*ODIs only)
Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa
March 29: Australia win by 88 runs
March 31: Second ODI, Lahore
April 2: Third ODI, Lahore
April 5: Only T20I, Lahore
All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports
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