Travis Head Shines with Century in Ashes 2025-26 Finale

Travis Head's Stellar Performance at SCG

On January 6, during Day 3 of the fifth and final Test of the Ashes 2025-26 series, Australian opener Travis Head delivered an impressive century at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Starting his innings at 91 runs off 87 balls, he reached his third century of the series in just 105 balls.

The 31-year-old batsman continued his aggressive play, scoring 150 runs in only 152 balls, making him the fourth fastest player to achieve this milestone in Ashes history. He previously set the record for the second-fastest 150 in an Ashes innings during the 2021 Birmingham Test. Head concluded his innings with a remarkable 163 runs off 166 balls, featuring 24 boundaries and a six, boasting a strike rate of 98.21.

Head's Reaction to Missing a Double Century

With his current form, many anticipated that Head would push for a double century after narrowly missing out in the third Test. However, he was dismissed by part-time spinner Jacob Bethell, concluding his innings at 163.

During a press conference after Day 3, a reporter inquired about his seven near-misses for a double century despite surpassing 150 runs multiple times. Head responded nonchalantly, dismissing the statistic as trivial.

"Beggars can’t be choosers. Pretty silly stat, isn’t it?" he remarked. "I’d much rather score 160-170 than 0-10, so I can’t complain about that. I probably had a couple of chances this series, but yeah, pegs up and watch the boys go about it. I’m not too worried," he added.

Head's Consistent Performance in the Ashes

Travis Head has been a consistent performer throughout the Ashes 2025 series, stepping up as an opener after Usman Khawaja's injury. He has accumulated 600 runs, including three centuries, with an impressive average of 66.67 and a strike rate of 87.59 across nine innings.

With one innings remaining in the series finale, Head is poised to increase his run tally, further solidifying his reputation as the most in-form opener of the Ashes 2025.

A Humble Star Despite Record-Breaking Series

This series marks the best performance of Head's Test career, as he surpassed both the 500 and 600-run milestones for the first time in a single series. His consistent contributions have led to speculation about him taking on a permanent opener role, especially with Khawaja's impending retirement.

Despite his achievements, Head remains humble, attributing his success to teammates like Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and David Warner. "I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been good, and I’m very pleased to contribute the way I have here. Something like 600 runs now (in the series). I’m not normally the one that’s doing the heavy lifting as such," he stated.

Australia's Strong Position Heading into Day 4

As Day 3 concluded, Australia had amassed a total of 518/7 in 124 overs, with Steve Smith and Beau Webster contributing 129 and 42 runs, respectively. This gave Australia a 134-run lead over England's first innings total of 384 all out, placing the hosts in a strong position as they head into Day 4 of the Sydney Test.