Australia’s T20I tour of India will end without one of its most influential all-format players. Travis Head has opted out of the final two T20Is to prepare for the upcoming Ashes, choosing to return home and play for South Australia in next week’s Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania in Hobart. It will be his first red-ball outing since the tour of the West Indies in July. Well, almost the entire Australia Test playing XI will turn up to play Sheffield Shield cricket as a preparation for their most iconic series against England that starts on November 21 in Perth.
Why is Travis Head leaving IND vs AUS T20Is?
The decision isn’t exactly a surprise. The Ashes always commands full attention, and for Head, who will slot in at No. 5 in the Test side, the priority now is rhythm and time in the middle. A four-day hit before facing England offers just that. What makes this interesting is that the call was reportedly left to Head himself, and the southpaw has opted to choose red-ball action.
Head’s recent form in white-ball cricket hasn’t been up to his usual standards. After a blistering 142 against South Africa in August, his highest score since has been 31 across eight innings in T20Is and ODIs. Now, the switch might help him reset. It was in the Ashes only where Head reinvigorated his red-ball career and he would love to dominate the English side once again, a side he averages almost 40 against.
With Travis Head out, Matthew Short is likely to open the innings with Mitchell Marsh in the last two T20Is. Short has looked good in the one-day format, scoring 112 runs in three games, but his T20 form has been mixed. This will be a chance for him to find some consistency at the top, a slot where Short is a natural. He opens for his BBL side, Adelaide Strikers, as well.
Ashes prep takes tune
Josh Hazlewood has already gone home after the second match, and Mitchell Starc will play for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield, alongside Nathan Lyon and Sean Abbott (who was only there for 3rd T20I). Steven Smith will continue his red-ball preparation after scoring a century against Queensland at the Gabba. Marnus Labuschagne, who was selected as a replacement of Cameron Green in the ODIs, was let go to play red-ball cricket as well.
Leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha has been released to play a one-day game for New South Wales as Adam Zampa awaits the birth of his second child. Left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis, now fit again after a calf injury, has joined the T20I squad.
Updated Australia T20I series squad
Mitchell Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (w), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe, Glenn Maxwell, Mahli Beardman, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Matthew Short, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa
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