"Travis Head's last 2 years has been outstanding" - Ricky Ponting hails Head for match-winning knock in the WTC 2023 final
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was effusive in his praise for middle-order batter Travis Head's breathtaking century on Day 1 of the WTC final against India at The Oval. Ponting felt that Head's knock changed the course of the game and was a continuation of his scintillating form over the last couple of years.
Speaking to the ICC after the match, Ponting said:
"Travis Head's last 2 years has been outstanding. He's found a new level of confidence and he's been given that confidence by the coaching staff and the captain. They've shown really good faith in him and have told him to play a certain way, which is to play his natural way and be really aggressive. That innings you wind the clock back and you take 163 out of Australia's first innings and it could be a completely different game. He played beautifully, Steven Smith was outstanding again."
Coming in with Australia precariously placed at 76-3, the southpaw tore apart the Indian attack with his blistering stroke play to take Australia to 327-3 at stumps on Day 1.
The 29-year-old from South Australia finished seventh in the run-scorers chart for the 2021-23 WTC cycle, scoring 1,208 runs in 17 games at an average of 52.52. Travis Head's incredible form was instrumental in Australia finishing atop the points table for the 2021-23 WTC cycle.
Ponting also praised Scott Boland and Alex Carey for their crucial contributions in the summit clash, saying:
"If Josh Hazlewood was fit, Boland might not have played but everytime Scott Boland has been presented an opportunity, he has taken it with both hands. Even after this performance here, I think he'll have the Australian selectors scratching their head about what is the right make up for the Ashes coming up in just over a week's time."
"He was outstanding and Alex Carey was brilliant as well with his runs in the second innings, he's ended up with four catches in the second innings as well so six catches for the game."
While Boland finished with five wickets in the match, including the wicket of the in-form Shubman Gill in both innings, Carey scored 48 and 66* to go along with six catches behind the stumps.
"Justin Langer and Tim Paine have had a lot to do with where this team is at right now" - Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting also credited Justin Langer and Tim Paine for their role in Australia's turnaround after the ball-tampering controversy at Cape Town in 2018.
Taking over the captaincy from the suspended Steve Smith, former wicket-keeper batter Tim Paine, along with head coach Justin Langer, restored Australia's battered culture while also achieving excellent results on the field.
The 38-year-old Paine captained Australia to 11 wins in 23 Tests, including the 2-2 drawn series to retain the Ashes in England.
"I think you can wind the clock back down and Justin Langer and Tim Paine have had a lot to do with where this team is at right now. After Cape Town, everything that happened there, cricket in Australia was at its lowest point," said Ponting.
"It took a couple of really strong characters in Langer and Paine to turn things around. Both those guys are not there now but this current team are sowing the seeds of their labor. Its fantastic to see, it makes me really proud to sit back and watch this team play their cricket," Ponting concluded.
Australia just missed out on qualification for the WTC 2021 final due to a slow over-rate in the Test against India at the MCG.
They finished the subsequent 2021-23 WTC cycle losing the lone Test series in India before capturing the WTC title in the summit clash against the Indians.