With the 15th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) kicking off in Australia, the excitement is building as the tournament approaches its crucial stages. As the competition heats up, several franchises are set to welcome back Australian Test players fresh off a 4-1 victory in the Ashes series. However, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Scott Boland will be sitting out the rest of the BBL season after a grueling Ashes campaign.
Travis Head, who topped the run charts for Australia in the 2025-26 Ashes with an impressive 629 runs, is taking a short break as part of his workload management.
This marks the third consecutive season that Head will miss the Big Bash League, as he focuses on gearing up for the T20 World Cup, which is just around the corner next month in India and Sri Lanka.
Cameron Green, who doesn’t have a BBL contract, will also be absent from the 2025-26 season after participating in three Tests during the recent series.
He’s working on regaining his full fitness following significant back surgery in 2024, all in preparation for the T20 World Cup. Additionally, Scott Boland and spinner Nathan Lyon will miss the season due to workload management and a hamstring injury, respectively.
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BBL boost as Khawaja, Labuschagne and Steve Smith join their sides
While Head, Green, and Boland are out for the ongoing BBL 2025-26, most of the Ashes-winning Australian Test squad will be back in action on Saturday, January 10. Usman Khawaja, who announced his retirement from international cricket after the final Ashes Test, along with Marnus Labuschagne, will be joining the Brisbane Heat for their upcoming match against the Sydney Thunder.
Stand-in Test captain Steven Smith will also be suiting up for the Sydney Sixers, alongside Todd Murphy, as they prepare to face the Hobart Hurricanes, who will be bolstered by opener Jake Weatherald and all-rounder Beau Webster.
Mitchell Starc, the Player of the Series from The Ashes, is set to join the Sixers after taking a few days to rest up for the Sydney derby happening next Friday.
Meanwhile, pacer Brendon Doggett will be heading to the Melbourne Renegades, and Michael Neser (Brisbane Heat), Alex Carey (Adelaide Strikers), Josh Inglis, and Jhye Richardson (Perth Scorchers) will all be joining their respective teams in the domestic T20 league.
