In the current IND vs AUS Test series, Head scored a match-winning 140 off just 141 deliveries in Adelaide.
There seems to be a growing sense that Team India struggles against Travis Head, who consistently finds ways to score in challenging situations, making the opposition pay a heavy price. In last year’s World Test Championship final, he scored 163 runs in the first innings, effectively sidelining India. His good form against India continued in the World Cup final, where he made 137 runs from 120 balls while his team was reeling at 47/3.
In the current IND vs AUS Test series, Head scored a match-winning 140 off just 141 deliveries in Adelaide, following up with a solid 89 in the Perth Test. This pattern suggests not only that he thrives against India but also that Indian bowlers have failed to exploit his vulnerability to short-pitched bowling.
Former Indian bowler Harbhajan Singh expressed disappointment that bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Harshit Rana only delivered four well-directed bouncers against Head. He noted that during the recent Ashes series, Head struggled against short balls. In ten innings during that series, he scored 362 runs at an average of 36.
In the ongoing series against Australia, Head has amassed 240 runs at an impressive average of 80, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being the next highest scorer at 185. A video by 7Cricket highlights how easily Head navigated deliveries from Bumrah and Siraj that were often on his pads, while Ashwin struggled to find his rhythm. Aside from one missed catch opportunity, Head had a flawless performance. Harbhajan pointed out, “There were only four well-directed bouncers by Indian bowlers in Travis Head’s innings of 140 runs. No bowler has blocked his offside area and targeted his body.”
