Australia's stand-in T20I captain Matthew Wade has made it clear that the final decision on whether to take part in the first T20I against India on Thursday rests solely with Travis Head himself.

After helping Australia win the ODI World Cup final, Travis Head is expected to play an important role in the upcoming five-match T20I series against India, especially with many experienced cricketers missing. However, skipper Matthew Wade clarified that he may take a break from the first T20I and there will be no pressure on him for the same.

Only on Sunday, Head achieved a brilliant performance against India in the final of the 2023 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The southpaw scored 137 runs as Australia won the summit clash by six wickets after reaching a target of 243 with seven overs to spare.

“We’ll have a chat with him and see how he feels. We won't put any pressure on him to play the first T20I but he will definitely be there throughout the series. The T20 World Cup is not far away and I think we still have 10 or 11 games to go before the action starts again. Whether it’s tomorrow or throughout the series, you’re going to see Travis play,” Wade said in the pregame press conference.

I'm trying to make sure the guys who played in the World Cup are mentally and physically ready to go: Wade

Wade also stressed the importance of keeping players fresh despite a hectic schedule. With this, the 35-year-old hinted that some of the players who featured in the recently concluded ODI World Cup may not feature in the first T20I as players need to be mentally and physically ready before a game.

“We ask the boys who played in the World Cup. We try to make sure they are mentally and physically ready. So there will be a few of those who will definitely be missing tomorrow just to get fit for the next four games. Aside from the physical and mental fatigue, we have a full squad to choose from,” Wade said.