He has failed to score a fifty for Australia in T20Is this year.
Star Australia batter Travis Head has created a legacy of his own across formats with some incredible performances on the big stage. However, his current form could be a concern for the Aussies as they prepare for the T20 World Cup 2026.
The Mitchell Marsh-led Australia have been on a great run in the shorter format. They have become a much more dangerous side since a shift in their playing style a few months back. They have given more freedom to the batters, and the results are there to see. The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka in March next year. While Australia are one of the favourites, they will need Head at the top of his game.
Travis Head, who made 28 runs in the second Australia vs India T20I, fell for just six in the third game, extending his poor form in the shorter format this year.
Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, the opening batter wasn’t at his usual best in the IPL 2025. He managed 374 runs in the season at an average of 31 while striking at 162. These look decent when we take a look at his numbers in T20 Internationals. Head has scored just 104 runs from eight T20Is this year, averaging just 13 at a strike rate of 125.
Overall, he is averaging below 24 with three fifties in the year. Compare this to last year, where he amassed over 1,400 runs at an average of 41 while striking at 182. The sheer difference in two years is quite astonishing and if this continues, Australia might have to make a tough call at some point.
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On his day, Travis Head has the ability to bury the opposition and win matches single-handedly. And his proven record means even discussing dropping him might attract some ridicule. But if his form just doesn’t improve come March, how wise would it be to leave him out?
The answer is not much. For one, they do not have an ideal replacement for him. Matthew Short has been that backup batter in the team but he has obvious weaknesses against spin. Not to mention Head and Marsh compliment each other with left-right combination.
While Short doesn’t have much experience of playing in the subcontinent conditions, Head has plenty. He has 1,377 runs to his credit in Asia at a strike rate of 168 while averaging 35.
His current form might not be ideal for their preparation for the T20 World Cup 2026 but he remains a crucial cog in the wheel. Given the destructive batting line-up they possess, Australia can afford to give Head as much time to get back into his own.
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