England legend Stuart Broad has offered a detailed tactical blueprint for how his former side can prevent Australia‘s Travis Head from running away with the Ashes again. Head’s blistering century in the fourth innings of the first Test in Perth set the tone for Australia’s 1-0 lead, and Broad believes England must rethink their approach if they want to regain control in the five-match series.
Stuart Broad calls for patience and smarter field management
Head’s elevation to opener — a last-minute move triggered by Usman Khawaja’s back spasms — proved a masterstroke for Australia. The left-hander hammered a superb 123, taking on all four England quicks and shifting the match decisively in the hosts’ favour.
Broad, observing from the commentary box, felt England’s pace unit, featuring Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, fell into a trap of trying too hard and too fast against the in-form batter. He stressed that England must resist the urge to attack relentlessly and instead focus on controlling Head’s strike rate. Broad believes, is the simplest way to interrupt Head’s rhythm — a rhythm England allowed him to maintain for too long in Perth.
Speaking to SEN Radio, Broad said England needed to minimise the number of balls Head faced during his onslaught. He said: “When Travis Head was really going, England needed the awareness to say, ‘Let’s get him off strike. Let him face one ball an over, he clips a single, and that’s it. Don’t let him face four or five balls an over where he can keep finding boundaries.’”
Broad on how to build pressure on Travis Head
Broad went a step further in his assessment, explaining that restricting Head is not just about Head himself — it’s about the batter at the other end. According to Broad, England allowed Head and Labuschagne too much comfort as a pair. By failing to challenge Labuschagne and break the partnership’s tempo, England paid the price when Head kept freeing his arms.
“When you get him off strike, Marnus Labuschagne comes on strike. Bowl dots to him, build pressure through him. Do that for forty minutes and suddenly Head gets bored of singles, tries something big and gives you a chance,” added Broad.
Broad urges England to balance aggression with game awareness
Broad acknowledged that England’s fast-bowling group naturally prefers an ultra-attacking mindset, part of the fearless ‘Bazball’ philosophy. But he warned that this approach must be adjusted when facing a free-flowing batter like Head, who thrives on pace and width.
Broad reckoned England’s blueprint for the remaining four Tests must include more sustained pressure, smarter field placements, and a willingness to slow the game down when required.
“Yes, we admire this aggressive mindset. But sometimes the positive option is to take the sting out of what’s happening. Make the batter do something different. You can’t let someone like Travis Head keep swinging for hours and walk away with 120 off 80,” Broad added further.
