Travis Head is enjoying chat about becoming a Test opener as he cuts a swath across England

Travis has scored nearly 350 runs on the white-ball tour of England after belting another ODI hundred and is happy to hear talk about him becoming a Test opener.

Travis Head is happy to keep hearing chat about him potentially opening the batting in the Test team declaring it “makes it interesting” after his stunning century against England powered a depleted Australian ODI side to a 13th straight win.

The red-hot left-hander blasted 154 not out, off just 129 balls, the highest ODI score by an Australian in England, in a comprehensive seven-wicket win at Trent Bridge which continued a streak second only to Ricky Ponting’s all-conquering outfit which won a world record 21 matches in a row.

Playing without ill frontline quicks Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood, as well as Glenn Maxwell and injured first-choice keeper Josh Inglis, Head belted 20 fours and five sixes, that’s 110 runs in boundaries at Trent Bridge as he and Marnus Labuschagne (77 not out off 61) put on 148 runs to chase down the home team’s total of 315 with six overs to spare.

The aura is undeniable 🙇‍♂️ #ENGvAUS#TravisHeadpic.twitter.com/N5maC2MojV

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 19, 2024

Steve Smith, in his return to the ODI side, made 32 batting at number three as speculation intensifies that he won’t be Usman Khawaja’s opening partner when Australia plays India in five Tests this summer.

Khawaja himself declared Head may be “best suited” to join him at the top of the order, and he’s OK with that chat, but didn;t put his hand up to take the opener’s role.

“Keep the chatter: it makes it interesting,” he said after the big win.

”I’m not going to dive into that. I’ll just let that play out.“

Head has now scored 336 runs across six white-ball matches against first Scotland then England on this tour of the UK.

He was dropped on six in the opening ODI and survived a speedy spell from English quick Jofra Archer to pile on his second score of 150 or more against England.

“I’ve worked extremely hard over a few years and probably play the game a little bit more relaxed now, and take it for what it is,” Head said.

Travis Head is a beast in all formats! What a player 🇦🇺🔥🔥

Cold Celebration....#ENGvAUS#tapmad#DontStopStreaming#TravisHeadpic.twitter.com/ieh9d1mCaO

— ABHIMANYU VERMA (@ABHIMANYU7238) September 19, 2024

“It was difficult at the start. Jof’s (Jofra Archer) way too good for me, so I’ve experienced it a few times. I even thought in the T20s, the couple of overs I faced him in Southampton, he’s an exceptionally good bowler.

“I got a bit lucky, obviously. Jof  also bowled a hell of a spell at the start, but if you can get through, there’s a lot of runs on offer. So nice that I could contribute.“

The win was made more remarkable after Australian captain Mitch Marsh employed four spinners - Adam Zampa, Matt Short, Labuschagne and Head - to bowl a combined 34.4 overs, after debutant Ben Dwarshius suffered a pec injury in the field.

Zampa and Labuschagne took three wickets each, and Short two, to contain the English batter who looked like getting away to a massive score on the small ground, losing 7-112 to be all out inside their 50 overs.

“The longer the innings went on, we thought that pace off was certainly a better option. A bit of a gut feeling,” Marsh said.

“I thought the way we bowled, especially our part-timers, was fantastic.”

Hazlewood could return for the second match at Leeds on Saturday with Starc and Maxwell to be tested with a replacement needed for Dwarshius.

Originally published as Travis Head is enjoying chat about becoming a Test opener as he cuts a swath across England