Travis Head targeting Australia Test call-up for away series against India
Australia’s promising young cricketer Travis Head is keen to earn a call-up for the national side and is targeting the spin-bowling all-rounder’s spot which could be crucial to Steven Smith’s side in their next Test assignment in the subcontinent which will be against India in early 2017.
With the Australian selectors losing patience with the highly erratic Glenn Maxwell, Head does fancy his chances of making the Test squad for the series in India, especially considering how inefficient a pace-minded attack proved inefficient in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka which saw the visitors being whitewashed 3-0.
The drubbing has caused cricket experts to call for a change in the Australian approach to Tests in the subcontinent with calls being made for spin-specialists to be blooded in.
While Head is considered primarily as a batsman, he has rolled his arms over with the ball on quite a few occasions for South Australia and is hoping to develop his skills with the ball to be in contention for a Test call-up as a genuine all-rounder.
Having been called in to join the Australian squad in Sri Lanka ahead of the third Test, Head is confident that a Test call-up is not too far away.
"It's a positive that you get talked about to play Test cricket, and that's what I want to do," Head said. "That's my ambition. "I think I've had limited opportunities – I've played one four-day game in India when I was there last and I got two starts. I'm always going to be positive and aggressive, but it's a long way away that Test series (in India).
“I've got to have a big summer, I've got to get runs on the board and I think that's the main issue with everyone in the summer.”
Head admits that he has to put in more runs with the bat compared to other hopefuls for the Test spot but is confident that an improved threat as a bowler would do his chances a world of good.
“I probably haven't done it as consistently yet (scoring runs) so I think it's a big 12 months for me,” he said. "If I want to get in the Test side I've got to get a lot of runs in four-day cricket. "I feel really comfortable, I feel confident, which is a positive I guess having only played two games of (ODI) cricket for Australia. But I feel like I'm there or thereabouts.
"I think I'm pretty raw still with my bowling, and that's probably helped me coming over here that I've probably learned the style that the Sri Lankans have been bowling their spin, I haven't come in with a certain way of going about things, I'm pretty open minded on my bowling.
“I just want to try and (adapt to) the conditions as best as possible and if that can get me selected as a second-string to my batting,” he added.