Back with a bang, Travis Head brings bullish Australian mindset to 2023 World Cup
As Travis Head smashed back-to-back sixes over wide long-on off Matt Henry in just the third over of the game, it became clear why the Australian team management was so keen to take the southpaw into the 2023 World Cup squad despite his injury.
His knock perfectly encapsulated the unforgiving and bullish mentality the Aussies were known for. World-class new-ball bowlers like Henry and Trent Boult were smashed all over the park as Head produced a masterclass as wonderful as the picturesque backdrop in Dharamshala.
After being on the sidelines for several weeks with a fractured hand, he turned up in style, smashing a 59-ball hundred on World Cup debut and playing one of the finest knocks by an Australian in the tournament's history. The fearless mindset and X-factor that Travis Head brings to the team may well propel them to their sixth world title.
Travis Head's impact as an opener is unparalleled
Travis Head has scored 2173 runs in his ODI career so far, averaging 42.60 in 59 matches. However, his growth has been exponential since he started opening consistently for Australia.
His average goes up to 53.04 as an opener, with a staggering 1273 runs from 26 innings and a strike rate of 115.41. It is that strike rate in particular, married with his consistency, that has given the Aussies the momentum they need at the top of the order in ODIs. The way Travis Head demolished the New Zealand bowling attack in the powerplay shouldn't really come as a surprise.
He strikes at 116.84 in this period, only behind Brendon McCullum (131.32) and Phil Salt (132.99), among players with at least 300 runs in the powerplay in ODIs. As an opener, Head averages an astonishing 73.30, only behind star Indian opener Shubman Gill (114.42) with the criteria once again being a minimum of 300 runs scored in the period.
The likes of Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock have already shown how a rollicking start can give a massive advantage to the team. It is one of the main reasons why South Africa and India occupy the top two spots at the time of writing.
The Warner-Head factor
The concept of a right-hand left-hand opening combination is often given a too much importance under the pretext of match-ups. But there's a reason why Australia were happy to let go of the opening partnership of Mitchell Marsh and David Warner despite them adding a staggering 269 runs against Pakistan, the second-highest opening stand in World Cup history.
Marsh and Warner have added 459 runs together in the eight innings that they have opened, averaging an impressive 57.37 with one hundred partnership. However, in just 12 innings together, Head and Warner have added a mind-boggling 1175 runs ar an average of 97.91.
Averaging almost a hundred runs in each partnership shows the level of understanding that the duo share. The ability of Travis Head to take the game to the opposition gives Warner the time to get his eye in without taking too much of a risk.
Marsh struggled to get going against New Zealand, but he could express himself more freely if he walked out to bat when the shine was off the ball and movement was minimal.
Australia's middle-order has looked fragile in the tournament, which makes it even more important for them to keep getting solid starts from Head and Warner. It also gives the likes of Glenn Maxwell the ideal platform to explode towards the backend of the innings.
After losses in the first two games, a lot was said about Australia's decision to take just one specialist spinner to India. Head's return has reinforced that department as well.
The good thing was that they managed to get on a run of wins even without Head and his return has been the icing on the cake.
The Aussies, over the years, have been known to win psychological battles and Head, with this knock, has ensured that the opposition now have one more problem to deal with.
After this sensational hundred, Australia will bank on Travis continuing to give them the 'Head'start that they need to mount a serious challenge for their sixth World Cup crown.