Dashing leftie’s likely elevation creates leaves Webster and Inglis vying for vacant spot

Travis Head is expected to return to the role of opener at the Gabba after his match-winning hundred in the first NRMA Insurance Ashes Test.

With Usman Khawaja ruled out due to a back issue and Australia opting not to add a replacement in his stead, Head immediately emerged as the obvious candidate to fill the slot alongside newcomer Jake Weatherald in the second Test, beginning Thursday.

“I’d probably expect Trav to open with the make-up of our squad,” said Scott Boland late Tuesday afternoon. “I guess it does (upset the team balance) a little bit, because we probably planned to have Uzzie there for the whole (series).

“But I think the best thing about our team over the last few years is when someone has come out, either due to form or an injury, someone’s always stood up and done their job. Trav did that last week.

“We’ve got huge depth in our squad, and we can replace anyone if we need to.”

Head has an impressive Test record at the top of the order, albeit from a small sample size. The left-hander, who has established himself as one of the world’s most devastating limited-overs openers, has opened nine times in Baggy Green, scoring 444 runs at 55.5 while striking at 92.50.

Those numbers were of course boosted by his spectacular 123 from 83 balls in Australia’s run chase in Perth, after which head coach Andrew McDonald said the notion of a fluid batting order – or more pointedly, potentially elevating the naturally aggressive Head to open an innings for strategic reasons – had been tabled for some time among the team brain trust.

“You do it in one-day cricket,” McDonald said. “You front-end some of your innings when you know the back-end is going to be difficult to chase down the runs.

“Then there’s other times in one-day cricket where it’s difficult up front and you back-end your innings, and you put all your power at the back-end.

“Can that transition into Test cricket? Are people ready for that? It’s a conversation that we have had.

“We’ve had a conversation around Travis opening the batting for a long period of time … now that it’s out there, happy to talk about it. Will we do it if it presents at the right time? Potentially.”

Head’s elevation leaves a middle-order spot vacant, likely to be taken by Beau Webster, though Josh Inglis – who made a century on Test debut in January – looms as another option within the squad.

Inglis, who spanked a quick-fire 125no in a pink-ball match for a Cricket Australia XI against the touring England Lions only last week, would be considered a more like-for-like Head replacement, with allrounder Webster originally selected when Cameron Green was injured.

In today’s press conference, Boland said he did not know which way selectors would go, though a possible hint was offered when the Australians lined up for slips catching practice on the Gabba outer and Inglis slotted into the cordon between Steve Smith and Green.

“(Webster’s) obviously done really well,” the pace bowler said. “He was a big part of the team when he was in it – making really good runs at six, bowling really important overs, he’s a gun catcher. So anytime he’s in the team, it makes us a stronger team.”

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT

Australia squad (second Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood