3 reasons why India must be wary of Travis Head in the WTC final vs Australia
Australian middle-order batter Travis Head is a tricky customer, particularly when it comes to the longest format of the game. He is currently ranked sixth on the ICC Test rankings for batters and has been a mainstay for the Aussies in the recent past.
Head has had quite a journey with the Test team ever since making his debut in 2018. He has served as the vice-captain, batted across various positions over the years, and has played several match-winning knocks.
His recent rise to the top began with the 2021-22 Ashes, where he was adjudged Player of the Series, which was followed by a dominant home season against the West Indies and South Africa.
Collectively, Head is part of a dominant Australian batting unit that comprises the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. If separated and looked at closely, Head is arguably the most diverse and versatile batter in the star-studded batting unit.
On that note, here are three reasons why India must be wary of Travis Head in the WTC final vs Australia.
#1 Head is equally adept against pace and spin
Travis Head is among the small set of players in the Australian squad who can play pace and spin very well. The left-handed batter's spin-playing credentials were doubted after a disappointing tour of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2022.
However, he silenced his critics with a landmark series in India earlier in the year. He was promoted to the top of the order in the absence of David Warner and scored 235 runs at an average of 47 on relatively tough pitches to make a strong case.
His credentials against pace bowling require no elaboration. Getting on top of the bounce, he is strong square of the wicket and boasts an average of 57.40 at home across 22 Tests where pacers have a major say in the proceedings.
#2 He can score briskly to take away India's momentum
A major component that separated Travis Head from the rest of the Aussie batters is his innate ability to score at a brisk rate.
He holds a strike rate of 61.82 in Test cricket, which is well above average. While his scoring rate is a tad lower in English conditions, he is a much-improved player from his last appearance in 2019.
Even in the tough subcontinent conditions against Ashwin's relentless spin bowling, Head was able to maintain a solid strike rate of 68.71 through some incredible display of counter-attacking cricket, which arguably paid off.
To avoid such an occurrence, Team India must ensure that the dynamite batter is dismissed early. Additionally, with him batting in the middle order, he is likely to be up against the old ball, which won't swing as much.
Even a brisk knock can tilt the momentum, allowing Australia to get back in the game with their lengthy batting order that is bound to frustrate any bowling attack.
#3 Head has been in decent touch and has a credible record against India as well
After failing to make it to the playing XI in the first Test, Head played a pivotal role in the remaining three Border-Gavaskar Trophy games earlier in the year. He was one of the biggest positives in the batting department as Australia went on to lose the series by a 2-1 margin.
He made a case for himself against India in their own backyard, which suggests that he is a bigger threat in English conditions. Head played four matches in the 2019 Ashes, scoring 191 runs.
He has played nine Tests against India over the course of his career, piling on 534 runs at an average of 35.60.
Will Travis Head be a threat to Team India during the upcoming WTC final? Let us know what you think.