Ashes: Travis Head really ready to go for the series, says Cummins

Australia Test skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said that the call to choose one between Travis Head and Usman Khawaja for the first Ashes Test was a "tough one".

Australia Test skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said that the call to choose one between Travis Head and Usman Khawaja for the first Ashes Test was a "tough one". Cummins also explained the reason why Head was preferred over Khawaja in the playing XI for the first Ashes Test, beginning December 8 at the Gabba.

"It was a tight one. Both are really good options, really strong form. Experience is great from Uzzie and we feel really lucky to have that in the squad, but Trav's been playing a lot for us the last couple of years," cricket.com.au quoted Cummins as saying. "He's gone away and he's churned out runs in England, here in Australia, and we feel like he's really ready to go," he added.

Cummins on Sunday revealed the playing XI for the upcoming first Ashes Test, beginning Wednesday at the Gabba. Travis Head will bat at number five while Mitchell Starc has also found a place in the bowling attack.

Earlier, Tim Paine had stepped down as the Australia captain after a sexting scandal and Cummins was appointed as the new leader. Steve Smith will don the hat of vice-captain. Australia XI: Marcus Harris, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)