Travis Head Released from T20 Squad for Red-Ball Warm-up Ahead of the Ashes series Details:

• Australia’s left-hand batter Travis Head has been officially released from the national T20 International squad for the remainder of the series against India national cricket team in order to switch his focus to red-ball cricket preparation ahead of the Ashes. 

• The decision comes after a mixed T20 outing for Head: he made 28 in Australia’s win in Melbourne, but then managed only 6 off 4 balls in Hobart as the hosts lost by five wickets. 

• Australia’s cricket board (Cricket Australia) announced that Head will play a first-class (red-ball) match for South Australia cricket team against Tasmania cricket team in the upcoming round of the domestic competition (the Sheffield Shield). 

• The timing is deliberate: the first Test of the Ashes begins on 21 November in Perth. Australia want Head to have meaningful red-ball runs under his belt before that. 

• As it stands, the T20 series vs India is tied at 1-1 ahead of the next game on the Gold Coast. Head’s absence means Australia will continue the T20 series without him. 

• This move underscores Australia’s prioritisation of the longer format (Test cricket) in the build-up to the Ashes. Given Head’s strong credentials in red-ball cricket, the selectors clearly want him sharp for the big series.

Why it matters:

• Travis Head has proved himself a potent force in Tests and first-class cricket; ensuring he has match practice in the red-ball format is key for team balance.

• It sends a message to the squad that the Ashes (and Test preparation) are a priority for Australia’s season.

• For India vs Australia in T20s, it means one less big-name batter for Australia, but for the Australians it’s a calculated trade-off.