Why Travis Head might have to captain Australia for upcoming Bangladesh series
What’s the story
Travis Head, Usman Khawaja and Glenn Maxwell might find themselves in a bit of fix because of the confusion regarding the contract situation between Australian players and board. All the three players have been named in the Australia A squad’s tour to South Africa.
However, Khawaja and Maxwell might have to pull out if no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is agreed upon (between players and the board). Both these players, along with a host of other big names, will be out of contract (unemployed) after June 30 if the board and players don’t agree upon a middle-way, ie, tour-based contracts.
Head, on the other end, might find himself captaining the senior team come the Bangladesh series as he is on a multi-year state contract, unlike the big guns of Australian cricket. However, the explosive middle-order batsman, for now, is looking forward to the South Africa series.
“I’m really excited about the A series,” Head said during the Champions Trophy.
“It gives me an opportunity to prove myself in four-day cricket. I get to captain the side in the one-day format, I’m looking forward to that opportunity. I feel comfortable at the minute that it’s all positive.”
In case you didn’t know...
Cricket Australia had approached the players with new contracts which saw the cricketers getting an increase in pay, back in May. However, the new reforms in the contract would see players missing out on their share of the revenue.
The players felt the contract was "a win for cricket administrators but a loss for cricket". As a result of this, with just two days to go before the deadline, a MoU has not been agreed upon yet.
The heart of the matter
With June 30 being the deadline to sign a MoU, players with multi-year contracts might have to don the baggy green cap in the absence of big names.
What’s surprising here is that in case Cricket Australia decide to go ahead with the Bangladesh test series with contract situation still unresolved, Head might have to captain the side, with Steve Smith and David Warner, among others unemployed.
Same can be the case for the upcoming Ashes series as well.
What’s Next
Australia will be playing Bangladesh in a two-match test series, starting from August 27.
For now, all the Australia A players on the flight to South Africa will treat the series as an audition for the upcoming Bangladesh series and the Ashes, irrespective of their contract issues.
Author’s Take
The senior Australian players should try and find a solution as soon as possible, suitable both for the board and themselves. Because, we as fans, would love to see a full strength Australian side take the field, instead of a depleted one.