“I miss walking out by myself” — Head signals pairing with Jake Weatherald

Usman Khawaja likely to miss out again

Australian batter Travis Head has hinted that he may resume opening the batting alongside Jake Weatherald in the upcoming third Ashes Test in Adelaide, suggesting that the selectors could once again leave out senior opener Usman Khawaja, who is still recovering from a back injury.

Khawaja missed the first two Tests — in Perth and Brisbane — after suffering a lower-back issue early in the series. In his absence, Head and Weatherald formed a surprisingly solid opening combination, averaging 63 across three partnerships, giving Australia much-needed stability at the top.

🗣️ “I miss walking out by myself” — Head on opening again

Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald, Head reflected on the unique feeling of being an opener in Tests.

“The only thing about opening the batting is I miss walking out by myself. Alex [Carey] gets to enjoy that… it’s always a great moment walking out to bat.”

Head also mentioned that opening with Weatherald feels like representing South Australia, something he believes the Adelaide crowd will love.

“If I’m doing it again with Jake this week, we’ll claim him as a South Australian… The crowd will be pumped to see us go out and bat together.”

🔄 Team changes expected for Adelaide

The stand-in captain Steve Smith, along with selectors and the coaching staff, is expected to make further changes to ensure Australia stays ahead in the series.

Head acknowledged that some players will inevitably be unhappy but praised the management for taking clear and bold decisions.

“We move to Adelaide and the team will look different again to try and win. We can’t play 15 blokes… Some bloody hard calls have been made.”

🏏 What this means

• Khawaja likely misses the Adelaide Test unless there is rapid recovery.

• Head–Weatherald opening pair may continue due to their strong performances.

• Alex Carey will continue to slot in at No. 6.

• Australia aims to strengthen their lead in the Ashes with strategic team tweaks.