BBL: Amid Australia’s hectic international schedule, Travis Head signs for Adelaide Strikers

Adelaide [Australia], October 18 (ANI): Australia’s Travis Head has signed for Adelaide Strikers in the upcoming Big Bash League season despite a hectic international schedule.

Head signed a one-year deal with Strikers, a club he captained in 2017-18, but is yet to play a single game for the team since the 2022-23 season.

With the BBL season set to begin on December 17, Head’s appearances could just be limited to three. Australia are set to engage in the much-anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy against India, which will be followed by a Test tour of Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Australia’s dates for the Sri Lanka Test series are yet to be booked, but it is highly likely that it will begin at the end of January 2025.

Due to the action-packed schedule, Head could be only available for Strikers for three matches on January 11, 15 and 18.

“I’m thrilled to sign for another year with the Strikers and can’t wait to get back amongst the group under our new coach, Tim Paine. I love pulling on the blue every chance I get and look forward to helping the boys go one step further after their fantastic late-season run to the finals last summer,” Head said in a statement released by the franchise.

“There’s no better crowd in the BBL than Strikers fans and no place I’d rather play than in front of a full house at Adelaide Oval, where the atmosphere is the equal of any cricket ground in the world,” he added.

Strikers head coach Tim Paine addressed the issue about the Head’s unavailability due to a hectic schedule but is eager to see him return and play for the franchise.

“We’re thrilled to complete our list with a homegrown hero of Travis’s calibre. He’s been in amazing form across every format in the past year or more, as we saw with his brilliant 154 not out off 129 balls in the ODI against England recently,” Paine said.

“We understand Trav has a hectic international schedule, but we also know how much he loves getting back in the blue whenever the chance arises, and we look forward to our fans being treated to more of his magic this summer,” he added.