Follow UsThe sport of cricket has seen some incredible match-winners with the bat in hand since its inception, but Travis Head might just be up there as the single-greatest all-format match-winner this sport has ever seen.
He had a solid case for this even before the day began.
Two years ago, Head played arguably the greatest ever knock in a World Cup Final as he silenced 100,000+ people in Ahmedabad to deliver Australia the 2023 50-over World Cup against all odds. That century preceded a Player of the Match performance in the semi-final, and, roughly five months prior to that, he had powered the Kangaroos to the World Test Championship (WTC) title on the back of a 150+ score in the final against India, under pressure.
He was the third-highest run-getter in the 2024 T20 World Cup, and last year he registered one of the greatest ever seasons by an opener in IPL history while being one part of the most devastating opening pair in the format’s history.
Certainly, in the last 15 years or so, nobody has ‘clutched’ like Head has under pressure, across formats, and this is even if you put aside the dozen match-winning knocks he’s played in minefields in Tests, and the fact that he averages 43 while striking at 105 in ODIs.
But after his showing against England in Perth today, you reckon that Head must now surely be right up there as the single-most impactful match-winner cricket has seen in recent years, with the bat in hand.
30 wickets in 5 sessions. One score of fifty in 3 completed innings. Ball flying and seaming. Australia are a batter short. England, with five quicks, have their tails up. 205 needed with 170 breached just once in three innings in the Test.
Under this backdrop, he plays arguably the best ever knock by an opener in an Ashes match this century, scoring the third-quickest century in Australian history while batting out of position.
Only word to describe it all: ABSURD.
There are some knocks the impact of which numbers can’t quite capture, but this is one of those knocks where numbers fully do justice to what unfolded.
Head finished with 123 off 83 balls, going at 148.19. It’s the highest strike rate registered by any centurion in the fourth innings of a Test in history.
Highest SR for a centurion in a Test innings while chasing
148.19 - Travis Head vs ENG, Perth, 2025
147.82 - Jonny Bairstow vs NZ, Nottingham, 2022
132.14 - Nathan Astle vs ENG, Christchurch, 2002
128.42 - Shahid Afridi vs WI, Barbados, 2005
It’s the second-fastest century by an Australian batter in an Ashes Test.
Just that, unlike the others, Head smashed it in the fourth innings with the team having its back against the wall, while batting out of position.
Fastest Ashes Hundred for Australia
57 balls - Adam Gilchrist (AUS), Perth, 2006/07 Ashes
69 balls - Travis Head (AUS), Perth, 2025/26 Ashes*
76 balls - Gilbert Jessop (ENG), London, 1902 Ashes
85 balls - Travis Head (AUS), Brisbane, 2021/22 Ashes
It’s the most sixes hit by an opening batter in the history of the Ashes. Nobody before today hit four. Head did so, again, while batting out of position. And it’s also just the fourth instance in history of an opener smashing 4+ sixes in the fourth innings of a Test match.
Most sixes hit by an opener in the 4th innings of a Test
6 - Chris Gayle vs NZ in Port of Spain, 2014
4 - Travis Head vs ENG in Perth, 2025
4 - Virender Sehwag vs ENG in Chennai, 2008
4 - Carl Hooper vs ENG in Leeds, 1995
Australia began day two on 123/9, well and truly staring at defeat. Who would have thought, then, that by the end of the day, Head himself would notch up as many runs and power his side to a 1-0 lead.
There is no stopping the clutch god that is Travis Head. We've already seen Head the counter-puncher dominate teams at No.5, but today might just be the start of Head 3.0 in Tests that might see him dominate opposition bowlers from the get-go.
November 19 belongs to Head. And now so does November 22.