Travis Head is on the path to finishing as one of Australia's greatest counter-attacking batsmen after producing another game-shifting century against the West Indies.

He bludgeoned 119 from 134 balls in Adelaide on Thursday, taking the hosts from early trouble to a 95-run first-innings lead.

Head's runs appear likely to prove decisive, after the West Indies went to stumps at 6-73 on day two, battling to take the game beyond the third morning.

Quiet by his standards in the 3-0 clean sweep of Pakistan, this was an innings made for a rearguard effort from Head.

He walked to the wicket early on day two with Australia 3-67 in reply to the West Indies' 188.

The hosts were then teetering at 5-129 against a West Indies attack many expected to roll over in foreign conditions.

But from there Head took over in the counter-attacking style the South Australian has become famous for since returning to the Test team at the start of the 2021-22 Ashes.

The South Australian hit 12 fours and three sixes, with his last 49 runs coming from just 34 balls.

There were uppercuts that went for four, blazing off drives and powerful pull shots through the legside.

He brought up his century in 122 balls, then proceeded to hit back-to-back sixes over the legside in the next over from debutant Shamar Joseph.

The 30-year-old was eventually caught on the boundary just before tea, but by that point the hosts led by 67 and Head had a century on his home ground for the second straight summer.

The century was Head's fifth in 27 Tests since returning to the team.

Six of his seven Test centuries have now come at a strike-rate of more than 75.

Only two other Australian have scored more centuries at that rate, with Adam Gilchrist the great middle-order counter-attacker and David Warner at the top.

Making Head's runs even more impressive is that they have routinely come at difficult times for Australia.

In the five hundreds since his 2021 return, Head has arrived with Australia three down for 12, 67, 76, 131 and 189.

"It's just fell that way I think," Head said.

"Batting five it's like, if we're flying it's probably my role is a bit different where I'd probably be more aggressive and take it on.

"So you may not see bigger scores.

"But when we're in positions that we are in, I've got to bat a bit longer. I'm happy for it to keep going."

AUSTRALIANS WITH FIVE OR MORE CENTURIES AT A STRIKE-RATE OF 75+

David Warner - 19

Adam Gilchrist - 15

Ricky Ponting - 6

Michael Clarke - 6

Travis Head - 6