3 things that make Travis Head a dangerous batter
Travis Head has been on the rise in red-ball cricket over the last couple of years, with his ranking proving to verify the fact. The southpaw is currently the No.4-ranked batter in Tests and is showing no signs of stopping in the Australian middle order at the moment.
The Adelaide-born batter once again made a serious impact at a crucial phase of a match for his team. He scored a brilliant 73-ball 77-run knock on the opening day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Wednesday to dent England's hopes.
Australia were well placed at 198-3 in the 55th over when Head arrived at the crease following Marnus Labuschagne's dismissal. Despite a well-settled Steve Smith at the other end and a solid batting display so far, the visitors could not take anything for granted against the England seamers who were looking for a breakthrough to get back into the contest.
Head, however, quashed all hope with a brilliant knock while sharing a 118-run stand with Smith for the fourth wicket. By the time the left-handed batter was dismissed, Australia were well past the 300 run-mark, with the run rate in excess of four per over.
On that note, here are three things that make Travis Head a dangerous batter.
#1 Counterattack on tough conditions, adding valuable runs and momentum
Raw aggression and taking the attack to the bowlers irrespective of the conditions and situation summarizes the way in which Travis Head operates. His ability to maintain his playing style even in tough conditions is what makes him unique and an indispensable asset for the Aussies.
Even if he does not score big, a small impactful knock is enough to uplift the side and cause a serious momentum shift.
Head took five balls to get off the mark in the first innings of the second Ashes Test, but once he did, there was no stopping and he proceeded to maintain a run-a-ball scoring rate until his dismissal late on Day 1.
#2 Solid player of pace, much improved against spin in recent times
Being an Australian player, Head is an excellent player of seam bowling and is very strong square of the wicket. His ability to get on top of the bounce to cut or pull with conviction makes him a tricky customer at the crease.
He was criticized for his poor numbers against spin bowling in the past, particularly in Australia's subcontinent tours in the World Test Championship (WTC). The batter even failed to find a spot in the playing XI in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Nagpur, but he stepped up following David Warner's injury.
Batting at the top of the order, he was among the runs in tough conditions and finished it off with a solid 90 in the final innings. He shut up several critics, who were skeptical about his ability to play spin, over the course of the series and ended up being one of the best batters from the Australian camp.
#3 Versatility and a big game player
The fact that his brute counter-attacking style is not his sole approach makes him an even bigger asset. He has the ability to even hold down one end with his solid defense and even bat with the tail if required.
Apart from playing at No. 5, he is adept at the top of the order as well, where he recently featured during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well as in white-ball formats regularly.
Head's knack for stepping up in big matches also makes him a huge threat to the opposition. He scored counter-attacking tons in his maiden Ashes Test at home as well as during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against India among other crucial knocks.
Is Travis Head the X-Factor for Australia in their red-ball team? Let us know what you think.