"I find Test cricket the easiest" - Travis Head
Travis Head, one of the most consistent all-format players in the world, said on Saturday (September 21) that he finds Test cricket the "easiest" among the three formats. He labeled T20s the "hardest" because the latter has higher pressure due to limited time and high expectations.
The Australian left-hander's view, a bit like his batting, was in contrast to the purists who often claim that Test cricket is the real 'test' of fitness and techniques, especially for batters. But, Head didn't disregard that idea completely either.
“I find T20s the hardest because there’s pressure to score; there are expectations, every time you go out, you have got to strike at 130, 140 and 150,” Head told Sky Sports.
“I find Test cricket, somewhat, the easiest because if I am not feeling great, I can go as slow as I want and if I am feeling great, I can go as fast as I want. There are no barriers to what you can do. From the playing side of things, I enjoy Test cricket the most. It’s toughest in terms of technique, conditions and other things, but expectations are something that is always there in white-ball cricket," he further explained.
Head's remarks were taken before the second ODI between England and Australia in Leeds. In the first game, in Nottingham, he smashed an unbeaten 129-ball 154 to chase down 317 and win the match.
It was also the second-highest score in a successful ODI chase for Australia. He has broken similar records with match-winning knocks in the last World Test Championship final as well as the 2023 ODI World Cup final against India in Ahmedabad.
Travis Head couldn't make his start count on Saturday
Head threatened a repeat of Nottingham in Leeds on Saturday, racing to a 26-ball 29 but got out pulling Brydon Carse straight to deep square leg. Catch all the live action from the game here.