Travis Head left ‘emotionally drained’ by Ashes, considers skipping Big Bash and criticises scheduling: ‘It’s a concern'
Travis Head will likely not figure for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League even as preparation, with a pressing schedule becoming tough to balance.
An all-format star for Australia and increasingly one of the most popular cricketers in the sport, Travis Head’s destructive batting ability has made him one of the most regular performers at the highest level of the game. Set to play all five Tests in the Ashes, Head leads the run-scoring charts and enters 2026 after a heavy 2025 season – something which might prompt him to look for breaks away from cricket as the year wears on.
The first tournament that Head might relinquish himself from is likely to be the Big Bash League, with the Aussie batter admitting that he probably needs some time away in January in preparation for next month’s T20 World Cup in India, and the IPL that will follow soon after.
Head commented on the fact that being engaged through the entirety of the Ashes, despite Australia’s easy success in the first half of the series and relatively quick matches right throughout, is something that has had an impact on him, mentally as much as physically.
“Probably unlikely with the emotional drain of an Ashes series, and what’s coming up in terms of the World Cup,” Head said to the Daily Telegraph when asked about whether he would be suiting up for Adelaide Strikers in BBL this season.
Focus shifts to the T20 World Cup
The Strikers are in a solid position early in the BBL season with two wins in their four matches thus far, but would have loved Head’s experience and dynamism at the top of the order. However, with the T20 World Cup around the corner and Head set to play a crucial role opening alongside captain Mitch Marsh, priorities mean the Big Bash franchise might need to make do without their marquee batter.
“You go into every series wanting to have a good contribution. I felt like I’ve been close to that and played really well. And the emotional drain of actually being in an Ashes series and playing it is always tough,” Head said regarding his Ashes series so far.
After batting at 5 in the first innings of the series, Head has since opened the batting alongside Jake Weatherald during the series. This hasn’t stopped his brutal run-scoring at all: Head has hit 437 runs in this series so far, including a pair of centuries in Perth and at his home stadium, the Adelaide Oval.
Family a concern for Head as well
Moreover, Head raised concerns about the amount of cricket that some players are asked to play, as the schedule grows more compact and exhausting as an increasing number of franchise tournaments shrink the windows for international cricket.
“So I think it’s important to go into a World Cup fresh, but we’ll see where we get to though. It’s a concern with how much we’ve already been playing and how much time we’ve got on the road,” Head said.
The Aussie batter will likely look to take some time at home before an extended period in India with both Australia and Sunrisers Hyderabad, with family being an element as well. As cricket ramps up before 2027, another ODI World Cup year, that factor cannot be ignored for Head: “You look at that year (2027) with the young family as well … my mind’s more so with my family. How can I make that year work?”
