Australia batter Travis Head is unlikely to feature in the ongoing Big Bash League season, with his focus firmly on international commitments, including the fifth and final Ashes Test against England and the upcoming T20 World Cup in February. While several members of the current Ashes squad are expected to link up with their respective BBL franchises after the Sydney Test from January 4, Head has indicated that he may sit out the remainder of the tournament.
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The left-hander suggested that the physical and emotional demands of the Ashes, combined with a crowded calendar ahead, make a BBL return improbable. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Head admitted he would need time away from the game in January to recover and prepare for what lies ahead.
'The emotional drain is always tough', says Travis Head
“Probably unlikely with the emotional drain of an Ashes series, and what’s coming up in terms of the World Cup,” Head said, underlining the toll the marquee contest takes on players. He added that maintaining freshness ahead of a global tournament was a growing concern amid the relentless schedule.
Head, who currently tops the batting charts in the series with 437 runs from four Tests, said the intensity of the Ashes goes far beyond numbers. “You go into every series wanting to make a strong contribution. I feel like I’ve been close to that and played really well, but the emotional drain of being in an Ashes series is always tough,” he said.
The Australia vice-captain also questioned the increasing workload on players. “I think it’s important to go into a World Cup fresh. We’ll see where we get to, but it’s definitely a concern with how much we’ve already been playing and how much time we spend on the road,” Head added.
Head has been in blistering form throughout the series. Drafted in as an opener in Perth after Usman Khawaja battled back issues, he made an immediate impact with a 69-ball century that wrapped up the Test in just two days. He followed it up with a marathon 170 in Adelaide to help secure the Ashes, before top-scoring with a gritty 46 in the second innings at the MCG on a surface where fast bowlers dominated and runs were at a premium.
