How Travis Head grew as a leader to become Australia’s Test vice captain

At 21, Travis Head was thrown in the deep end as SA captain. By his own admission, it was often unpleasant and he did some ‘silly things’. But he’s found a lot out about himself since.

Freewheeling, counterattacking, lighthearted and a touch goofy. It’s hard to imagine Travis Head playing the role of bad cop.

But appointed South Australian captain almost a decade ago at just 21, Head was thrust into the role of having to lay down the law for players many years his senior.

These days Australia’s Test vice-captain and, on current form, the team’s most valuable player, Head is in the frame to lead Australia should Pat Cummins miss a Test in Sri Lanka for the birth of his second child.

And Head has already had a taste of skippering the Aussies in white-ball cricket.

But the Head now shouldering the leadership mantle is a vastly different version to the one who had a (c) next to his name back in 2015.

Australia's Test vice captain Travis Head and captain Pat Cummins at the Gabba. Picture: David GRAY / AFP

And Head as South Australian captain, alongside Victorian counterpart Matthew Wade in 2015. Picture: Sam Wundke

“(It was) tough just in terms of personalities, etc, some experienced guys, me not knowing exactly the right way of going about certain things, the right or wrong way,” Head – who turns 31 on day four of the Boxing Day Test – told this masthead.

“Also off-field personality wise, I’ve I guess, for a long time, had a fear of missing out. I always wanted to be involved, where I couldn’t really shut off. And I probably struggled a little bit with the personal side of me, or what I’m like day-to-day, to the leadership and what I felt like it should look like, to what was my personality. So I struggled with that for a long time.”

Having to tell people things that they didn’t like hearing was not pleasant.

“When I was younger, like any kid, I guess I wanted to be liked by everyone. I wanted to be mates with everyone. I wanted positive affirmation, all that kind of stuff. I didn’t like criticism, giving criticism, but being a leader draws yourself to that. So I struggled with differences in opinions and now don’t really care,” Head said, before checking himself.

“I still do care. I still want everyone to like me, etc, but I know that people have got different opinions and differing opinions, and think of different ways and do it different ways. And I respect that as well. And it’s not in the world if someone disagrees with you or doesn’t like you.”

A young Head in full flight for SA at Adelaide Oval in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Brake

And on his way to another Test century at the same ground in 2024. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

With the immense benefit of hindsight, he reflects on some of the rather petty concerns that crossed his desk in the early days of his captaincy.

“If someone was late, or, like, just marginally late. There was some off-field rules, or kit, or what we had to wear, or timings,” Head said in an interview ahead of the home summer.

“At the end of the day, that stuff doesn’t matter. And we drove it. Yeah, we did some silly things. So then you learn from that, and so and seeing this now, the other end, where it’s open slather.

“(Actually) it’s not open slather, but there’s rules, but there’s, respect between the group. You get more out of that.

“I think as I’ve got older, I’ve probably withdrawn myself more from those conversations, because they don’t become natural, but in the job I knew I had to do it. So if that makes sense, I pushed myself and did them and had those hard conversations and then dealt with them personally.

“I did it because I had to do the job. So it’s probably now where, having done those things at early age, now…I go about it a different way, and the way I guess attack those conversations (is in a) humorous way and cool things out and etc, etc.

“I’ll go more, natural. I’ll try to be funny, or the way I’ll bring it up is in the right space. I never, ever would go direct and blow up at someone. That’s just not me.”

Originally published as How Travis Head grew as a leader to become Australia’s Test vice captain