Travis Head becomes only fifth player to win back-to-back Allan Border Medals
Travis Head poses with his Player of the Match medal at the end of the New Year's Test in Sydney against England (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 07 Aug 2026, 03:42 PM• Read time - 7 mins
Travis Head has become only the fifth Australian to win back-to-back Allan Border Medals. The southpaw joins Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and David Warner on an elite list of players to have won the prestigious medal in two consecutive years.
Head was presented the medal by Allan Border himself at an event in Brisbane on Friday evening nearly seven months after the voting period concluded. Head edged out wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey in a close shave to win the honour. Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith and Mitchell Marsh were the other three contenders.
Back‑to‑back Allan Border Medal winners
| Player | Years |
|---|---|
| Travis Head | 2025, 2026 |
| David Warner | 2016, 2017 |
| Michael Clarke | 2012, 2013 |
| Shane Watson | 2010, 2011 |
| Ricky Ponting | 2006, 2007 |
Starc received the Shane Warne Men's Test Player of the Year award from the late leg-spinner's father Keith. Meanwhile, Marsh won the ODI Player of the Year award and Tim David walked away with the T20I Player of the Year honour.
It was a fairly low-key event compared to usual and not broadcast, as players were felicitated in a belated ceremony after the voting period ran from January 29, 2025 to January 8, 2026. Cricket Australia (CA) was unable to find a window to hold the event earlier due to a constant overlap in the men's and women's international events.
Allan Border Medal vote count
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Travis Head | 153 |
| Alex Carey | 152 |
| Mitchell Starc | 150 |
| Steve Smith | 96 |
| Mitchell Marsh | 86 |
Head was a prolific run-scorer in the 2025-26 Ashes, aggregating 629 runs in five Tests, averaging 62.90 with the help of three hundreds. He topped the run charts at the end of the series and played a pivotal role in helping Australia retain the Ashes.
Meanwhile, seam-bowling allrounder Annabel Sutherland won the Belinda Clark Medal in February, becoming the fifth woman to win consecutive Belinda Clark Awards.