Ashes first Test burning questions: Travis Head’s form flies under the radar as Pat Cummins’ absence leaves gaping hole

The time for talk is almost over and one of the most highly-anticipated Ashes series in history will finally commence on Friday at Perth Stadium.

Selection debates and sledges have dominated proceedings over the past few months as the Bazball ways of England look to combat the all-conquering Australian side.

Despite this, there are still some major talking points that won’t be silenced until the conclusion of the first meeting between these two bitter rivals.

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The series opener looms as an important chance for England to take an early lead with some key Aussie players out of action – but the hosts won’t go down without a fight.

Here are the five biggest question marks heading into the first Test.

Is the form of Travis Head a concern?

Travis Head walks off in the WTC Final Getty

They say never doubt a champion and that’s exactly what Travis Head is – but his form in recent times doesn’t make for pretty reading.

The left-hander has been a proven commodity in big games across all three formats, but in his past 20 innings has averaged just 23.6 dating back to June.

Head’s only score above 40 in that period was an ODI century against South Africa.

While a lot of the talk surrounded the top-order and who was likely to partner Usman Khawaja, the 31-year-old’s struggles managed to fly under the radar.

That will all change in Perth when he walks out at No.5 against England and is forced to contend with the likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood steaming in.

Head has plenty of runs on the board – literally – which most likely takes any legitimate selection pressure off him for the entire five-game Ashes series.

However, if the hosts are going to retain the urn, Head needs to turn things around soon.

Can the latest switch cement Cameron Green?

Cameron Green Getty

He was the proverbial golden child of Australian cricket for many years, but this summer looms as make-or-break for Cameron Green to become a leader in the side.

The 26-year-old has all the talent in the world but has yet to find consistency at Test level and will now move back down the order and feature as a genuine all-rounder.

In his 51 innings to date, Green has made two centuries and seven half-centuries, which are solid enough numbers but not enormously impressive.

His average sits in the mid-30s as well, which is valuable as a No.6 but there are still many within the Australian cricket fraternity who want to see more.

“What I’d like to see from Cameron Green in this series is good, solid batting,” former Test skipper Mark Taylor said on Wide World of Sports’ Outside The Rope.

“We really need him not just for this series, but for the next five or 10 years.”

Ian Chappell echoed those sentiments and explained why Green’s ability to factor into the contest with both bat and ball isn’t enough for him to be an automatic selection.

“Green has got to get into the side as a batsman – his bowling is a bonus,” Chappell said.

“He’s a damn good bowler, but he’s got to hold his place as a batsman because No.6 has always got to be there firstly as a batsman.”

Green’s year got off to a red-hot start with a match-winning 174 not out against New Zealand, but he struggled to replicate that, particularly in the World Test Championship final against South Africa, where he was dismissed for scores of four and a duck.

The difficult tour of the West Indies, where he moved into the No.3 role, actually saw Green perform better than the majority of his Aussie teammates with bat in hand.

But with the red-hot domestic form of Marnus Labuschagne early in the season, Green will be on the move again and those within the Aussie set-up will be the role bears fruit.

Who fills the void left by Pat Cummins?

Pat Cummins won’t play in Perth ICC via Getty Images

The absence of Pat Cummins for at least the first Test leaves a gaping hole in the Australian side that is borderline impossible to replace.

While the leadership of Steve Smith can’t be discounted, given he seemingly goes to another level with the bat when he is in charge, the biggest aspect of Cummins’ absence centres around his bowling and ability to strike at the perfect time.

Mitchell Starc is a brilliant new-ball bowler and can get the party started more often than not, while the loss of Josh Hazlewood takes away another big-three member.

But what captain Cummins brings to the table is something that can’t be filled by just anyone – even for all the skill and tenacity his replacements might possess.

“I think what they will lose is Pat Cummins’ ability to get a number of wickets for you, but also that big wicket,” Taylor explained.

“He’s got that record of when Joe Root’s looking good or Harry Brook’s going hard, he’s the guy that Australia often turn to, to get that one big wicket and turn the momentum.”

Chappell also acknowledged it will be a tough hurdle for the hosts to overcome in Perth.

“If you need a wicket, you give the ball to Pat – that’s where he will badly be missed.” 

Scott Boland has been a proven wicket-taker on home soil in his limited opportunities at Test level but is still not quite at the level of Cummins.

Brendan Doggett is in a similar mould to the injured skipper in terms of pace, but it’s hard to see him having that same impact when the chips are down in his Test debut.

Will Harry Brook’s style hold up in Australia?

Harry Brook’s dismissal against India earlier this year Getty

Moving away from the home side now and one of the most intriguing watches in this series will be Harry Brook’s first taste of playing Down Under.

Nobody could possibly deny the excitement that Brook manages to bring to the Test arena and he has became the poster boy for England’s Bazball style.

Brook has also got the record to match his aggression, having already amassed 2820 runs for England at an eye-catching average of 57.55. His fearless attitude whilst swinging the willow around hasn’t gone unnoticed in Australia.

Greg Chappell went as far as comparing him to a young Sachin Tendulkar – perhaps one of the highest levels of praise any batter could receive.

However, for all his brilliance, Brook can also come unstuck at key moments and throw his wicket away like few others – the negative side of the Bazball phenomenon.

Earlier this year in a crunch moment against India and having already brought up a century, Brook skied a delivery from Akash Deep and his bat flew out of his hands.

His dismissal triggered a collapse that saw the hosts lose their next six wickets for 66 runs and lose the series decider at The Oval.

In last week’s tour match against the England Lions, the 26-year-old had another rather embarrassing moment when he charged down the wicket and chopped onto his stumps.

These types of moments are what will have some doubting whether Brook can do what he has done to bowling attacks across the globe in the tough Aussie conditions.

After all, only one player in the England side – Ben Stokes – has scored a ton here.

Brook is as good a chance as any of joining Stokes in that realm, but don’t be surprised to see some outlandish dismissals along the way.

How much gas do Archer, Wood have in the tank?

Mark Wood and Jofra Archer Getty

They’ve been spoken about as some kind of great white hope for England’s chances of regaining the urn and are expected to wreak havoc against a supposed fragile Aussie batting order – but can Jofra Archer and Mark Wood manage to last an entire series?

The likely answer to that question is no and it would be an extraordinary surprise to see them go from never having played a Test match against Australia before to getting through five of them in quick succession in foreign conditions.

Both men bowl express pace and can strike fear into batters, but have battled with injury and fitness issues throughout their careers, which makes their availability to start this series together a rare occurrence.

England are well-stocked from a fast-bowling perspective with Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue all in the mix as well as skipper Stokes.

But if the visitors are going to win this series, Archer and Wood need to have an impact.

If their bodies fail them and they only feature sporadically from the second Test at the Gabba onwards, it could be another Aussie celebration.