Travis Head, who hit his maiden ODI century against Pakistan in the fifth ODI in Adelaide after being pushed up to open, hopes to get more chances at the top of the order.
"As a batter I would love to bat as high as I possibly can, if there's that opportunity as there was in this series," Head, who put on 284 with David Warner, said after Australia's 57-run win. This was the second time Head has opened in his young ODI career of 20 games. The first of those chances to open came in the first ODI of the series, in Brisbane, where he was out for a run-a-ball 39.
"I got the opportunity at the Gabba and felt like I was in good form, but I wasn't able to get a massive score," he said. "I was very disappointed after that, then going back down the order, that I wasn't able to capitalise.
"So it was nice to get out there today, get first crack at it and get runs. But I'm happy to do the job wherever is needed in the side. I'm happy to go game by game and just be in the side. The preparation for the Champions Trophy, I think we're playing the right brand at the end of this series. So wherever I fit, it's fantastic."
With David Warner guaranteed to open, barring injuries, the search is on for a second opener for Australia leading up to the Champions Trophy in England in June. Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch have been tried there. Khawaja opened in the middle three ODIs of the Pakistan series. Finch, who was dropped for the series against Pakistan, has been recalled for the Chappell-Hadlee series against New Zealand.
Head too is part of the squad, and hopes to find himself among the runs to merit automatic selection. "I felt like I've been in good form in the series but I just haven't been able to get a big score, and it's probably been like that since I debuted," he said. "It's nice and satisfying to get runs, but the head moves quickly to New Zealand and try and back up the good form and keep the ball rolling."
Head said batting with Warner, who now has six tons in 11 ODIs and was battling a cold and later on fatigue in this game, made his job much easier. The pair set a new Australian ODI partnership record - beating the 260-run second-wicket stand between Warner and Steven Smith against Afghanistan in the 2015 World Cup. They missed the all-time ODI opening partnership record by two runs.
"He [Warner] told me he was going for 200, so I don't think his mind was set on coming off [due to health issues]," Head said. "He was pretty fatigued, we did a fair bit of running. But I don't think that hindered him in any way, he just got on with the job. He was struggling a little bit but he was definitely focused on getting a few more runs. It's easy at the other end - he makes it easy for me. He does it consistently, backing up massive scores and it's another match-winning effort from him."