Head's case for Test berth looking rosy

Now that the aspirants for vacant berths in Australia's Test batting line-up have failed to further their claims, South Australia coach Jamie Siddons believes his skipper Travis Head is frontrunner for a recall.

While Head was among the Australia A top-order that folded in the first innings Pakistan in the tour match at Perth yesterday, Siddons pointed to the former Test vice-captain's recent Marsh Sheffield Shield century against a star-studded New South Wales attack as proof he is in form.

And with no genuine rival posting a first-innings score in what was billed as a 'bat-off' for Test places against touring Pakistan, Siddons says the changes Head has made to his game plus his proven track record at Test level should see his inclusion.

The Australia team for the two-match Domain Test Series against Pakistan will be named tomorrow, a week before the first match begins at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 21.

Head lost his place in the Test line-up for the final Ashes Test at The Oval last September, but is widely seen as duelling with uncapped Victoria batter Will Pucovski for the vacant lower-middle order spot.

"He (Head) has done everything right since he's been back (after the Ashes), and batted beautifully," Siddons said during SA's current Shield match against Tasmania.

"That was probably the best hundred I've seen for the year, that one last week, against the best attack we've faced.

"So if they're going to pick someone in form, he's the one."

Siddons wouldn't be drawn on whether Pucovski, who fell for five in the Australia A tour game against Pakistan yesterday, was ready for a Test debut having averaged 40 in first-class cricket since his debut almost three years ago.

But he noted that if the national selectors were looking for a player who has shown an ability to perform at Test level, and is in good first-class form then Head is worthy of inclusion ahead of the 21-year-old Victorian.

"He (Pucovski) is a good kid, he's a good player, but who knows – I don't think he's as ready as Travis Head," Siddons said, noting that Head has averaged 42.70 in his 12 Test appearances to date.

"I don't expect him (Head) to miss out (on the Test team).

"He's a good enough player and he's got that hundred (against NSW) already.

"He talks about the game really well and what he's going to do against each different bowler, and that's a growth in him that I didn't see last year.

"That's probably a great thing that he took into the game against New South Wales the other day.

"He had different plans for (Josh) Hazlewood, (Trent) Copeland, (Harry) Conway and (Nathan) Lyon, so it wasn't just playing the same game against all the bowlers.

"He was leaving balls outside the off stump, not playing the back-foot drive, that was the thing I thought was the secret to it.

"Hopefully he can continue to do that."

Head, like incumbent Test opener David Warner, was targeted during the Ashes by England's seamers who saw a weakness in his technique when right-armers Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes attacked his stumps from around the wicket.

But in addition to addressing those shortcomings based on feedback from men's team coach Justin Langer and his assistant Graeme Hick, and by working assiduously with SA batting mentor Greg Blewett, the 25-year-old has looked to improve other aspects of his game.

He has also worked diligently on his captaincy, taking note of the strategies and methods employed by senior teammates and leaders in rival teams.

"He's pretty switched on," Siddons said of Head's tactical acumen.

"He's learned from all the other captains he's captained against and the people he's played with – Steve Smith and co.

"He's learned from (former Victoria skipper now Adelaide Strikers teammate) Cameron White and guys who captain their sides really well.

"He sees the way they go about it, and he tries to mimic some of their field placements at times and find his own.

"I think he's tactically getting very good. He's been a great leader of the team since he came back.

"It (his Test axing) just tells you that you've got to be consistent, keep putting the runs out there.

"Langer is looking for answers and consistency, and Trav's just got to be that consistent player, putting big scores up.

"Not 40s and 50s, he (Langer) wants hundreds."

Domain Test Series v Pakistan

Australia squad: TBC

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

Warm-up match: v Australia A, November 11-13, Perth Stadium (d/n)

Warm-up match: v Cricket Australia XI, November 15-16, WACA Ground

First Test: November 21-25, Gabba (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

Second Test: November 29 – December 3, Adelaide (d/n) (Seven, Fox & Kayo)