Ashes 2025-26: Head hopes for nippy wickets, believes it suits his game

Aussie batter Travis Head is looking forward to another challenging Ashes summer and hopes Australia’s pitches will continue to favour the fast bowlers. The left-hander, who was instrumental in the 2021–22 Ashes triumph, said he relishes batting on seaming and lively surfaces rather than flat ones. Head explained that while most batters prefer docile tracks that allow long stays, he feels more comfortable when there is movement off the seam, as it suits his instinctive and attacking approach. He also pointed out that such conditions offer more scoring opportunities for positive players who like to keep the game moving. 

 

Prefers movement over monotony

Reflecting on his previous success against England, Head said he finds greater joy in adapting to faster, bowler-friendly pitches. According to him, flatter tracks tend to stifle stroke players like himself, who thrive on pace and bounce. On slower surfaces, he feels the grind of batting for long periods can dull his natural rhythm.

 

“The fast, nippy wickets allow you to play more freely,” Head noted. He believes those conditions help players who look to score when bowlers err in length. When pitches offer a bit of movement, he said, batters can “get away with a few things,” provided they maintain the right intent.

Learning from the best

Head acknowledged that scoring runs on challenging tracks requires calculated aggression and awareness of scoring windows. Citing the examples of prolific run-getters such as Steve Smith and Joe Root, he observed how the best players accumulate runs quietly and efficiently.

 

He mentioned that while wickets in Australia over the past few years have tested even top batters, the key lies in seizing scoring chances early. “Sometimes, you know one delivery might have your name on it,” Head reflected, “so the idea is to make the most of whatever time you have at the crease.”

A statistical shift in batting trends

Numbers back up Head’s view of the changing Australian conditions. Since the start of the 2021–22 Ashes, top-seven batters in home Tests have averaged only 30.22 per dismissal, producing just 24 centuries in 20 matches. In contrast, from 2017–18 to 2020–21, the same group averaged 38.14 with 34 hundreds in as many Tests.

 

Interestingly, while Australian pitches have become more helpful to seamers, England has moved in the opposite direction. Between 2018 and 2021, batters averaged 30.90 in Tests played in England. However, since the rise of “Bazball” in 2022, that figure has jumped to 38.94, underlining how aggressive batting and flatter pitches have combined to boost scoring rates.

Head leads the way at home

Despite the tougher conditions, Head has flourished. Since the 2021–22 Ashes, he has averaged an impressive 54.64 in Australia, striking at nearly 89 and notching up six centuries — the best record among all Test batters in the country during that time. His ability to counter seaming deliveries and still score at a brisk pace has made him one of Australia’s most reliable middle-order players.

 

While Head has surged ahead, others have found the going harder. Steve Smith, for instance, has averaged 45.26 across the last four home summers — a sharp dip from his stellar 63.20 average during the first decade of his Test career.