Travis Head has pipped fellow Ashes hero Alex Carey to claim a second consecutive Allan Border Medal.
During a function in Brisbane on Friday night, held six months later than normal due to scheduling conflicts, the star batter was again crowned Australia’s leading male cricketer.
Head had 153 votes, just ahead of his South Australian teammate Alex Carey on 152.
Player of the Ashes, Mitchell Starc, finished third on 150 votes despite having ditched one of the three international formats.
Head pipped Carey and Starc to the gong. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)
Still a force in Tests and ODIs, Starc ended his T20 international career last September in a bid to extend his red-ball career.
Starc won the Shane Warne Test player of the year award, while Mitchell Marsh took out the ODI award.
Big-hitting Tim David was named Australia’s best T20 player.
Head joins Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Steve Smith and David Warner as multiple winners of the Allan Border Medal, which was first handed out in 2000.
The 32-year-old made 30 appearances for Australia across all three formats during the 2025/26 season, scoring 1,437 runs.
Head belted a famous 123 from 83 balls to guide Australia to a stunning victory in the opening Ashes Test in Perth.
He took that form into his home Test in Adelaide, flailing 170 in a memorable partnership with Carey.
During a career-best season, Carey scored 1,079 runs in 24 games across all formats.
Carey hit a stunning century at the Adelaide Oval, while his glovework during the Ashes was exceptional with 28 dismissals.
Normally held during a gala event in Melbourne at the end of summer, the Allan Border Medal was delayed due to organisers wanting the cricketers to be in the room for it.
Last year, the all-conquering women’s team attended the event, but the men’s players were in Sri Lanka for a Test tour, so Head had to accept the medal via video.
Earlier this year, Annabel Sutherland won a second-consecutive Belinda Clark Award and was also named the women’s ODI player of the year.
AAP
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