Travis Head needs to bat at No.5. Image Credits: AFPAustralia have still not found an ideal opening pair in Test cricket. It’s been a while. And just when Travis Head seemed to have solidified one end at least, his returns have dwindled rather quickly.Head was an accidental opener. After Usman Khawaja suffered a back injury, he temporarily opened the innings in Perth and whacked England pacers all around the park. That assault and subsequent issues with Khawaja meant he has remained in the role since, even if his partners on the other end still keep changing.But opening the innings is the hardest job for a batter in Test cricket. More so in the current bowling-friendly era. Even the greatest Test player of this generation, Steve Smith, had to give up after taking a shot following David Warner’s retirement.Travis Head’s recent opening issuesTravis Head by entry points outside the opening spot between 2024 and Ashes 2025 first inningsAfter the highs of Ashes 2025, Travis Head hasn’t really got going in Tests. It’s not a huge sample size, but post the Ashes rubber, the southpaw has 70 runs at an average of 17.50 across four innings. His highest score has been 22.But it’s not just about numbers. Head is a kind of batter who thrives on unconventional methods and unorthodox technique across formats. In Tests, that worked as long as he batted at No.5 because the ball became slightly old by the time he came to bat.In all Tests involving Australia since 2024, batters have collectively averaged 22.92 and lost a wicket every 42.91 deliveries in the first 20 overs. Then comes a run-scoring window between 21 and 50 overs, when the ball gets slightly old, early movement diminishes, and initial pacers start getting breaks after opening bursts. In this 30-over period, batters have averaged 25.76 and played around 45.72 balls before losing their wickets.And that matters a lot for a player like Travis Head. He has issues against pace, especially from around the wicket, early in the innings. Even when batting in the middle order, he used to face issues when forced to face a slightly new ball after early wickets.Also Read: Watch- Steve Smith Takes A One-Handed Blinder At Slip To Dismiss Kyle VerreynneBefore opening the innings against England in Perth, Head averaged just 26.50 and was dismissed every 35.75 balls when he came before or during the 20th over since 2024 while batting in the middle order. In contrast, his average and balls-per-dismissal ratio rose to 45.62 and 57.15, respectively, when arriving after the 20th over.cricket.com.au @cricketcomau "I've never seen that in all my cricketing career." Travis Head chopped on for a second time in this match, but his considerate move even caught Adam Gilchrist off guard. #AUSvBAN Aug 15, 2026, 10:16 AM By opening the innings, Head has allowed pacers to exploit this vulnerability against the moving ball straight away and in more favourable conditions. Bangladesh, for instance, dismissed him three times from the outside off-stump line, including once from around the wicket. Now, he was uncomfortable at times against South Africa and eventually edged an innocuous leg-lined delivery in the eighth over.Head could break the game in the middle orderLines bowled by pacers to Travis Head since Ashes 2025 1st Test second inningsTravis Head was so successful early against England for a couple of reasons. Initially, their pacers bowled a tad too short and wide, getting carried away by pace-friendly pitches. Head thrives on even a little bit of width on the off-side because of his strong cut shot.Since 2024, cut shots of all types have collectively fetched him 19.46% of total runs against pace at an average of 88.33 and a strike rate of 151.43. He doesn’t use his feet much and relies on strong hand-eye coordination by staying deep in his crease. England allowed him to play to his strengths, at least in the first three games.But as lengths went fuller and lines closer to the stumps, Head couldn’t play those shots because of early movement. Since the Bangladesh series, all of his four dismissals have come from lengths between 6 and 7 metres. Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam didn’t give him any width, and because he doesn’t move his feet enough, he kept chopping on while attempting a push or his trademark cut shot.If he bats in the middle order, Travis Head can mask most of these issues against fast bowlers. The ball won’t move as much in the air, and his cut shots will come off far too often without leading to as many dismissals. He plays several false shots irrespective of his batting position in Tests; the middle-order slot helps him get away more often.At No.5, Head will be more free to loose his arms and play those blistering knocks with the same approach. He will have the luxury of facing second-change or third-change bowlers as well as second or third spells from the main pacers. That alone reduces half of his issues.cricket.com.au @cricketcomau Is there anything more pure than a Travis Head cutshot? Seven days until we get to see more of this gear as the #AUSvBAN Tests begin: Aug 6, 2026, 6:30 AM And even if the openers haven’t racked up big scores, they will still see out a few balls upfront. Then, Australia have backed Marnus Labuschagne at No.3, and he still hangs in there and eats out a lot of balls despite scoring little to none. While that approach doesn’t work for Labuschagne, Head has definitely reaped the rewards in the past.And of course, there’s a certain Steve Smith at No.4. During Ashes 2019, Travis Head explained that opponents focus so much on getting Smith out that it helps him do his job quietly. Smith also sucks the momentum out of the innings."He (Smith) sucks the momentum out of the opposition with his batting. Him at the other end obviously takes pressure off me because they're trying hard to get him out, and I was glad to be away from the radar."While Head has established himself as a dynamite batter since that statement, it still stands true to a large extent. Smith is still the prize wicket and an invisible shield for every batter around him. Head and Smith have averaged 56.68 and stitched six century stands together for a reason.Bowlers deal with two extremes when bowling to this pair. One remains unswerving in his approach, while the other is indomitable in his intent, both with unorthodox methods and techniques. That leads bowlers to lose their radar and spray all around, trying too much.Matt Renshaw should open for AustraliaMatt Renshaw has hit a marvellous ton in Travis Head’s position. But he should still be slotted at the top, along with Nic Maddinson or whoever opens from the other end. Renshaw is naturally an opener and has a tremendous Sheffield Shield record.He will fit as an opener and was going to open the first Test against South Africa anyway. But Cameron Green was injured, which left a void in the middle order. So Australia had to use Nic Maddinson at the top and shift Renshaw to No.5.Head’s game is unlikely to work at the top, and he should return to No.5. That would slot him and Renshaw in their ideal spots and solidify Australia’s middle order. Australia’s middle order, including Steve Smith, needs Head to do his thing with a slightly old ball.If Head returns to No.5, Australia will have two quality middle-order batters who will do the job almost every time. Even the most compact openers of this era have struggled to play big knocks consistently. In that sense, Head’s presence at the top not only takes his natural ability away from the equation but also leaves the middle order vulnerable.Australia will play a crucial Test series against India away from home early next year. Spin will play a massive role in that series, with India likely to churn out rank turners. Head’s expertise in whacking spin with his exceptional sweeping ability becomes much more crucial.Renshaw also sweeps brilliantly, but doesn’t bring the same strokeplay. Then, on pacy surfaces outside Asia, Australia will need a batter who can grind upfront and a blazer in the middle, something they achieved when Usman Khawaja opened with various partners after David Warner’s retirement. That’s only possible with Travis Head at No.5.Also Read: PM Narendra Modi To Meet Indian Cricket Team After Asian Games 2026 Gold Medal Win: Report
