Travis Michael Head (born 29 December 1993) is an Australian internationalcricketer who represents theAustralia national cricket team in all formats and is the current Testvice-captain.[2] A left-handed batter and part-time right armoff-spin bowler, Head is contracted toSouth Australia, and theAdelaide Strikers for domestic matches at the state level, and theBig Bash League respectively[3] Head has served as both a co vice-captain and vice-captain in Tests in multiple stints.[4][5] Head captained Australia inT20Is and served as vice-captain inODIs in 2024.
Head was a key member of the Australian team that won the2023 ICC World Test Championship final and2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final, having been adjudgedPlayer of the Match in both those finals. He also became the second player ever to score a century when batting second in a World Cup final.[6] He also became the first player to score centuries in two consecutive ICC tournament finals in a same calendar year.[7][8]
Early career (2011–2014)
Head (shirt 62) batting for Sussex in 2021.
Hailing fromCraigmore in the northern suburbs ofAdelaide, Head played at underage levels for the Craigmore Cricket Club[9] andTrinity College,[10] Head represented South Australia at both under-17 and under-19 level, making his debut in the National Under-19 Championships at the age of 17.[11] After making his name playinggrade cricket for Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club,[12] Head made his first-class cricket debut forSouth Australia in theSheffield Shield at the age of 18 in early 2012.[2] He made a promising start to his career with three matches for South Australia, scoring his maiden half-century in his second match and falling short of scoring his maiden century in his third match with 90 runs againstTasmania.[13] He was rewarded at the end of the season with a rookie contract with South Australia.[14]
Head went on to play 18 under-19One Day International (ODI) matches for theAustralian national team, including at the2012 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.[15][16] He impressed with both bat and ball during the tournament, scoring 87 off 42 balls againstScotland[17] and taking three wickets againstBangladesh in the quarter-final.[18] He showed leadership qualities when he captained South Australia to victory in the 2012–13 National Under-19 Championships, being named Player of the Championship for the second consecutive year.[2]
Head remained a regular selection for the2012–13 season, usually batting in the middle order.[19][2] He came close to scoring his maiden century with 95 against Western Australia. Though he was not dismissed, he ran out of batting partners and was stranded at the crease five runs short of the milestone.[20] He subsequently played a singleTwenty20 game for theAdelaide Strikers in theBig Bash League, replacing the injuredKieron Pollard in the team.[21] Shortly after South Australia's Shield win against Victoria in January 2013, he was hit by a car outside a hotel inAdelaide, receiving injuries to his head and back, but he made a full recovery and was able to return for South Australia's next match.[22][23] Head was one of six young Australian players to be part of the inauguralAgeas Bowl International Cricket Academy during the 2013 season, training at the ground's facilities.[24]
In the early part of Head's career, he struggled to reach his maiden first-classcentury, instead finishing with scores in the nineties on multiple occasions.[2] After his score of 90 in his debut season and his unbeaten 95 against Western Australia in 2012, he made it to the nineties three times in the2013–14 Sheffield Shield season, against Western Australia twice more[25][26] and once against Tasmania[27] with scores of 92, 98 and 98 respectively. Despite this he was able to score aList A century for theNational Performance Squad againstSouth Africa A in July 2014.[28]
South Australian captaincy and international career (2015–present)
Limited-overs debut (2015–2016)
In February 2015, Head was named to replaceJohan Botha as the captain of South Australia, though Botha stayed with the team for the rest of the season to assist with the transition. At the age of 21 he was the youngest captain of the South Australian side in their 122-year first-class history.[29] As captain his fortunes continued to improve in the 2015–16 season as he shone in all three formats of the game. At the beginning of the season he became the third Australian in history to score a double century in a List A match with 202 runs from 120 balls. In doing so he helped South Australia to chase down the large target of 351 with three overs to spare.[30] He also finally scored his maiden first-class century, after 17 scores of 50 or more, in a Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia to lead South Australia to a thrilling one-wicket win.[31] On New Year's Eve he scored his maiden Twenty20 century against theSydney Sixers, the first century ever scored for the Strikers. With three overs left in the match, the Strikers needed 51 runs to win and Head needed 55 runs to score his century. Head then scored 56 runs in the final three overs to score his century and win the match with three balls to spare, hittingSean Abbott for three consecutive sixes in the last over. His final score was 101 runs off 53 balls with 9 sixes and 4 fours.[32]
Head's form was rewarded by national selectors when he was included in Australia's squad fora series ofTwenty20 Internationals againstIndia.[33] He made his international debut during the series onAustralia Day at his home ground, theAdelaide Oval.[34] After the series he returned to theSheffield Shield, scoring two more centuries, one against Western Australia to secure another one-wicket win[35] and the other against Tasmania, scoring a career-best 192 to help give South Australia an innings victory in just two days.[36] He led South Australia to their first Sheffield Shield final in 20 years and was named the Sheffield Shield Player of the Year, having scored 699 runs at an average of 38.83 before the final,[37] which South Australia lost.[38]
Head was brought into Australia'sOne Day International (ODI) squad for the first time for atri-series in the West Indies.[39] He made his ODI debut on 13 June 2016 against the West Indies.[40] After the tournament he joined theIPL teamRoyal Challengers Bangalore[41] before going to England to playCounty cricket forYorkshire.[42] In his fourth match for Yorkshire he broke the club's record for the highest List A batting partnership, putting on 274 runs for the third wicket withJack Leaning. Head scored 175 off 139 balls in the innings while Leaning also scored a century.[43] He had to leave Yorkshire early when he was broughtto Sri Lanka to train with Australia's Test squad and play in their ODI squad. Though he was originally not included in the squad, the selectors decided that they needed to give younger players more experience in Asian conditions after they had lost the first two matches of the Test series.[44]
Opening stint and Champions Trophy (2016–2017)
As Head was part of Australia's squad for theirtour of South Africa, he was unable to captain the Redbacks in theMatador Cup.[45] He continued to play for Australia consistently in the 2016–17 season, but he was unable to make any big scores. Batting in the middle order, he regularly scored above 30 runs, doing so nine times in fourteen innings before the end of 2016, but he was only able to score three half-centuries with a high score of 57 againstNew Zealand.[46] For Australia's seriesagainst Pakistan in January 2017, Head was moved from the middle order to the top order, opening the batting.[47] This resulted in Head scoring his maiden ODI century against Pakistan on Australia Day at Adelaide Oval. He opened withDavid Warner and the pair scored 284 runs for the first wicket, with Head scoring 128 himself.[48] This stands as the highest partnership for any wicket for Australia and the second highest opening stand in ODIs.[49] Despite his strong form in One Day Internationals and in domestic cricket, averaging over 60 in the2016–17 Sheffield Shield season, Head was not included in Australia's Test squad for the2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, though the then Australian coachDarren Lehmann said "We expect him in the not-too-distant future to get his chance in Test cricket."[50] Instead, Head continued to play for South Australia, who played in their second consecutive Sheffield Shield final. He scored a century but the Redbacks ultimately lost the match.[38]
When limited overs openerAaron Finch returned to form, Head was dropped back to the middle order, though he remained in the Australian side for the2017 ICC Champions Trophy.[51] Due to weather, neither of Australia's first two matches in the tournament were completed and Head did not get a chance to bat, but in Australia's only completed match, against hostsEngland, Head top scored for Australia with 71* in a losing effort.[52] Head signed to play for Yorkshire again in the2017 NatWest t20 Blast, but he pulled out of the tournament when he was named the captain of theAustralia A side for the2017 South Africa A Team Tri-Series.[53] As a result of a pay dispute withCricket Australia, the Australia A side pulled out of this tournament.[54]
Head started the2017–18 Sheffield Shield season as one of many players in contention to take Australia's number 6 spot in the upcomingAshes againstEngland. In the first match of the season the Redbacks played againstNew South Wales, whose bowling attack made up the entire Australian bowling attack.[55][56] Head did not impress selectors, only scoring totals of 8 and 0,[57] but he bounced back with an impressive, measured half-century against Victoria and a century against Queensland.[58][59] Regardless, he did not earn selection in Australia's Test team.
WhenBrad Hodge left theAdelaide Strikers, Head replaced him as the team's captain, adding it to his captaincy of South Australia and making him the captain of the state's highest-level team in all three formats of the game.[60]
List A cricket (2021)
In October 2021, Head made his second double century (230 off 127 deliveries), against Queensland inAdelaide, becoming the third batsman to score more than one double century in List A cricket.[61]
Test cricket (2018–present)
Head fielding during the third test of the2019 Ashes.
In April 2018, Head was awarded a national contract byCricket Australia for the 2018–19 season.[62][63] In September 2018, he was named in Australia'sTest squad for their seriesagainst Pakistan.[64][65] He made his Test debut for Australia againstPakistan on 7 October 2018.[66] He had his baggy green cap presented to him fromNathan Lyon.[67]
In January 2019, Head was announced as Australia's new Test vice-captain, alongsidePat Cummins ahead of the seriesagainst Sri Lanka on 24 January. This was due to the unavailability of regular vice-captains,Mitchell Marsh who was omitted from the Test squad andJosh Hazlewood who was unavailable due to an injury.[68] In the two-Test series, across three innings, Head scored 84, 161 (his maiden Test century), and 59 not out to raise his Test matchbatting average to 51.
Head was included in the squad for the2021–22 Ashes.[76] In the first test atThe Gabba, he made his third century (152), and was named player of the match.[77][78] Head was ruled out of the fourth test inSydney after testing positive for COVID-19.[79] He returned for the fifth test inHobart, where he made another century (101).[80] He was named player of the match, and was also awarded theCompton–Miller Medal for player of the series.[81]
In February 2022, Head was included in the 18-man squad to tourPakistan in March.[82] Head was included in the squad for the2022 tour of Sri Lanka.[83] In the first Test in Galle, he picked up career best figures of 4/10 – his first wickets in Tests – in the second innings, paving the way for a 10-wicket victory for Australia.[84]
Head was included in Australian squad for the seriesagainst the West Indies in 2022–23.[85] In the first Test inPerth, he scored 99, putting on 196 runs for the fourth wicket withSteve Smith in the first innings.[86] He took two wickets in the second innings, as Australia won by 164 runs.[87] In the second Test in Adelaide, Head scored a career-best 175 in the first innings, putting on 297 runs for the fourth wicket withMarnus Labuschagne.[88] He won the player of the match award.[89] He was included in the Australian squad for the home seriesagainst South Africa in 2022–23.[90] In the first Test, Head top scored for Australia with 92 in the first innings, and he was named player of the match.[91] He also completed 2000 runs in Tests.[92] In the same week, Head moved to number four in the ICC rankings for Test batting.[93]
Head was included in the 18-man squad for the2023 Border-Gavaskar series.[94] He was named in the squads for the2023 ICC World Test Championship final and the2023 Ashes.[95] In the 2023 WTC final atThe Oval, Head scored his first overseas Test century and sixth overall (163), putting on 285 runs withSteven Smith for the fifth wicket in the first innings.[96][97] Australia won by 209 runs, and he was the player of the match.[98] In June 2023, Head moved to number three in the ICC Test batting rankings.[99] Following the conclusion of the third Ashes Test, Head moved to number two in the rankings.[100] Head ended the Ashes series with 362 runs, with three half-centuries.[101]
In January 2024, in the first Testagainst the West Indies in Adelaide, Head scored his seventh Test century (119), and won the player of the match award.[102] He also completed 3000 runs in Tests.[103]
In December 2024, he scored back-to-back centuries in the second and third Tests of the2024–25 Border–Gavaskar Trophy, with scores of 140 and 152 respectively.[104] He was the leading run scorer for the series, making 448 runs from 9 innings at an average of 56.00.[105]
Limited-overs return (2022–present)
In January 2022, Head was included in the 16-man squad to faceSri Lanka in a five-match T20I series; he last played white ball cricket for Australia in 2018.[106] In February, Cricket Australia announced that Head would miss the start of the series to play in theSheffield Shield, and would join the squad in Melbourne.[107] He did not feature in any of the matches.
In February 2022, Head was included in the white-ball squad for thePakistan tour.[108] In the first ODI, his first since November 2018, he made his second century (101 off 72 deliveries) opening the batting, took two wickets and was named player of the match.[109] He made 89 in the second ODI,[110] but was dismissed for a golden duck in the final match.[111] He made his T20I return in the one-off match.[112]
Head was selected in the ODI and Australia A squads for thetour of Sri Lanka in June–July 2022.[113] In the second unofficial ODI against Sri Lanka A, Head top-scored with 110 in a losing cause.[114] He was picked for the ODIs after injuries to several Australian players; he played in the second, third (where he top scored with 70 not out), and fourth matches, but was ruled out of the final match with a hamstring strain.[115]
After missing the home series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand due to paternity leave, Head was included in the ODI squad to faceEngland in November 2022, replacing the now-retiredAaron Finch as opener.[85] In the final ODI inMelbourne, Head scored his third century (152) and was awarded the player of the match award.[116] Head andDavid Warner put on 269 runs, becoming the second pair to make two 250-run partnerships in ODIs, and joint fastest to score 1000 partnership runs.[117]
Head was selected for theODI series in India in March 2023.[118] In the second ODI in Visakhapatnam, opening the batting withMitchell Marsh, he scored a rapid unbeaten half-century, and put on an unbeaten partnership of 121 in 11 overs, as Australia cruised to victory by 10 wickets.[119]
Head was picked for the limited overs seriesagainst South Africa. In the third T20I, Head scored his first T20I half-century (91), and was awarded the player of the match award.[120] Head fractured his left hand after being struck on his hand attempting a pull shot offGerald Coetzee during the fourth ODI of the series, and was forced to retire hurt, and also ruled out of the final ODI.[121]
2023 Cricket World Cup
Head was named in the Australian squad for the2023 Cricket World Cup, but did not play in the tournament until Australia's match againstNew Zealand on 28 October, as he continued to recover from his injury.[122][123] He scored his fourth ODI century (109 off 67 balls) in his first World Cup match, and won the player of the match award.[124][125] His all-round performance in the semi-final helped Australia beatSouth Africa by 3 wickets in a close encounter and helped Australia book a place in the final.[126] He took 2 important wickets and scored 62 runs off 48 balls in the semi-final.[127][128] He was declared player of the match.[129]
In the final against India, he became the seventh batsman to score a century in a Cricket World Cup Final (137),[130] and was the player of the match, as Australia won by six wickets to lift its sixth World Cup title after chasing down the target of 241.[131][132][133] He also became only the second player to score a century in a World Cup final during a run chase after Sri Lanka'sAravinda de Silva.[134][135] He also eventually became the third Australian afterRicky Ponting andAdam Gilchrist to score a century in a World Cup final and also became the only Australian to do so in a run chase batting second.[136] His innings of 137 also turned out to be the highest individual score in a World Cup final when batting second (while chasing), surpassing the previous record of 107 not out held by Aravinda de Silva. He also became the first and only player to score two centuries in men's ICC tournament finals (in fact Head scored centuries in 2023 WTC final and 2023 Cricket World Cup with both centuries coming in single calendar year).[134][137] He also surpassedViv Richards record tally of 180 runs to become the most prolific runscorer in across the semi-final and final in a men's World Cup tournament with a tally of 199 runs.[138] Head also put on a record breaking partnership of 192 runs withMarnus Labuschagne for the fourth wicket during the final, which is also the highest ever partnership by a pair in a World Cup final run chase for any wicket. The partnership of 192 between Head and Labuschagne is also the second highest for any wicket in a World Cup final behindRicky Ponting-Damien Martyn's unbroken stand of 234 runs which also came against India during the2003 Cricket World Cup final.[139] He also took a stunning diving catch in the World Cup final to dismiss Indian skipperRohit Sharma, which became a talking point and the catch taken by him also turned out to be the root cause for India's dramatic slowdown in their batting approach in the final, as the dismissal of Rohit broke the early momentum India had in the first half of the batting in the final.[140][141][142] He also became the fourth player afterMohinder Amarnath, Aravinda de Silva andShane Warne to receive player of the match awards in both semi-final and final during a same World Cup campaign.[143][144]
2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup
In May 2024, he was named in Australia’s squad for the2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[145] Head was the third highest run scorer of the tournament, scoring 255 runs from seven innings with two half-centuries.[146]
Post-Warner era (2024–present)
In June 2024, Head became the highest ranked T20I batter, according to theICC player rankings.[147] In the first of a three-match T20I seriesagainst Scotland, Head equalled the record for the fastest fifty (held byMarcus Stoinis) for Australia in T20Is (17 balls), making 80 off 25 balls. He put on a rapid 113-run partnership with Mitchell Marsh and earned the player of the match award.[148] In the third match, he became the second fastest Australian to score 1000 T20I runs (35 innings).[149]
In the first T20Iagainst England Head made a rapid half-century, including 30 runs in an over bowled bySam Curran, earning the player of the match award.[150] Headcaptained Australia for the first time in T20Is, in the second match in Cardiff, in the absence of an unwell Mitchell Marsh.[151][152] In the first ODI, Head took two wickets and scored his sixth ODI century, a career best unbeaten 154, earning him the player of the match award.[153] In the final ODI, Head took career-best figures of 4/28, and then made a brisk 31 to keep Australia ahead of the DLS score and guide his team to victory.[154] His all-round performance earned him the player of the match award and he also won the player of the series award, scoring 248 runs and taking six wickets.[155]
Head married Jessica Davies in April 2023.[160] Their first child, a daughter, was born in September 2022.[160][161] The couple's second child, a son, was born in November 2024.[162]
As of November 2025, Head has scored tencenturies (100 or moreruns in a singleinnings) inTests and six inODIs.[166] His highest Test score of 175 came againstWest Indies in December 2022.[167] His highest ODI score of 154 not out came againstEngland in September 2024.[168]
.jpg)
Sri Lanka
New Zealand
England
West Indies
India
Pakistan
South Africa
