Australian batter Travis Head has backed Pat Cummins to lead Test team after Tim Paine’s shock resignation

Head, who was this week named in Australia’s 15-player Ashes squad, was in the middle of a press conference at Adelaide Oval on Friday afternoon when news of Paine’s shock resignation began to filter through.

Head said it was difficult to answer specific questions about the situation, because he had been entirely unaware of it beforehand.

“It’s a tough one at the moment to go into any of that because I don’t know the ins and outs, I haven’t spoken to Tim or the boys, I guess over the next 24-to-48 hours we’ll know more about it,” he said.

But the 27-year-old said the side would regroup ahead of the First Test starting in Brisbane on December 8.

“I think the group’s in a great space, a lot like the (world champion) T20 group, this group’s played a lot of series together, we’re in a great space, everyone gets along really well, so what will be over the next 24-to-48 hours will be and we’ll move on,” he said.

“It’s hard to comment on what’s going on at the moment, but as a whole, with the culture and where the team’s at, what you see with the T20 squad I think is very similar to the Test squad, so I think Australian cricket as a whole with the guys we’ve got in, we’ve got good people and we’re fully behind everyone.”

The question of who will captain Australia in the Ashes in Paine’s absence will now be front-and-centre, with Head suggesting quick Pat Cummins could be likely elevated from vice to lead the team.

“Obviously Pat’s been well spoken about, named as vice-captain, it’s hard to go past him, or give him the opportunity to, he’s someone who oozes leadership, not only in the way he presents himself and speaks and the way he goes about things and the way he trains, but also when he’s on the field,” Head said.

Questions also immediately turn to who will replace Paine in the wicketkeeping position, with Head’s Redbacks teammate and Australia A ‘keeper, Alex Carey, in the frame.

“(Carey’s) got a great opportunity in the A tour, it’s great to see him in that squad, he’s deserved that squad, he probably hasn’t started the season as well as he’d like, but the way he’s hitting the ball, the way he’s moving and how he’s working at training is great to see,” Head said.

“I think the A tour game will be a fantastic opportunity for him.

“I think he’ll take that opportunity, he is really close to getting a big score and he’s working extremely hard, but he’s in a great space as well, he’s keeping exceptionally well, his keeping has never been an issue for Alex, and he’s working extremely hard on his batting, so fingers crossed he gets plenty of runs in the inter-squad game (from December 1 at Redlands Cricket Club) and then the A game.”

– News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom