Travis Head will miss the final two T20Is against India to prepare for the upcoming Ashes series, opting to return to red-ball cricket with South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.
The left-hander is set to play against Tasmania in Hobart next week, marking his first first-class appearance since Australia’s tour of the West Indies in July. Head’s recent form in white-ball cricket has been modest, with a highest score of 31 in eight innings across formats since his 142 against South Africa in August.
Cricket Australia confirmed that Head’s decision was made with an eye on red-ball readiness ahead of the first Ashes Test, where he is expected to bat at No. 5 — a key role given his counterattacking style in the middle order. The final call on his return to Shield cricket was largely left to the player, who preferred match practice in red-ball conditions over the remaining T20Is.
His participation adds further star power to an essential round of Sheffield Shield fixtures before the Ashes squad announcement. Fellow fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will turn out for New South Wales against Victoria, joined by Nathan Lyon and Sean Abbott. Steven Smith will feature for NSW as well after scoring 118 against Queensland earlier this month.
Victoria’s squad will include Scott Boland, while Cameron Green will play for Western Australia against Queensland, where he is expected to resume bowling duties. Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw are also likely to feature as they look to fine-tune their preparation for the series.
Ben Dwarshuis, returning from a calf injury, replaces Head in the T20I squad for the final two matches on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane. Meanwhile, Tanveer Sangha has been released to play a one-day game for NSW as Adam Zampa awaits the birth of his second child.
With the T20I series currently level at 1-1 after India’s win in Hobart, Australia will aim to balance their squad as several key players pivot toward Test readiness ahead of the Ashes opener later this month.
