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3 Reasons Why Travis Head Should Not Open For Australia In Border-Gavaskar Series Vs India

Head has been Australia's best batter since 2021 [x] Head has been Australia's best batter since 2021 [x]

The much-anticipated India tour of Australia is just a few months away and the war of words has already started between the former cricketers of both the nations. While India have been victorious against Australia in every series since 2014, the Kangaroos won the most crucial battle between the two teams - WTC finals in 2023.

Ever-since the retirement of David Warner from Test cricket, star batter, Steve Smith has occupied the opening slot, alongside Usman Khawaja. Smith, one of the best Test batters of this generation, made a name for himself, batting at number 4, but has struggled to replicate the same form at the top.

As a result, the team management are now considering moving Smith down at number 4 again, and are planning to promote Travis Head at the top. However, ahead of the BGT 2024-25, we look at why Head as a Test opener will be a disaster-call from Australia.

Head struggles against moving delivery

Even though Head has been superb for Australia across formats, there is a tendency that the southpaw struggles against the moving ball. His mostly relies on hand-eye coordination, and when the ball swings, he tends to go hard at the delivery, which leads to his demise.

Head is best utilised when the ball gets old and it allows the dangerous batter to play his natural aggressive game. Team India have excellent new-ball bowlers, and they can exploit Head's weakness, if he is promoted at the top.

Head has been Australia's best batter since 2021

Since his return to the Australian side in 2021, Head has been their best batter. Making the number 5 spot his own, Head has been influential in Australia's Test success, be it the Ashes win in 2021-22, or the famous WTC finale against India, when he scored a sensational hundred.

In the last 3-years, Head averages 43 in Tests, with a strike-rate of 78. Furthermore, he was the 6th highest run-getter in the WTC cycle (2021-23), accumulating 1,389 runs, at an average of 55.56, and a strike-rate of 80. Hence, making him open the batting, can lead to him ruining his stats.

Head, the lone left-hander in the middle-order

The Aussie middle-order comprises of Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green and Travis Head. If the dynamic head is asked to open the batting, the team will lose their sole left-handed batter in the middle-order. Plus, considering that someone like Ravindra Jadeja might operate against the middle-order batters, and his job will be easier, if the Indian all-rounder only gets to bowl at the right-handed batters.

Head can be someone in the middle-order, who can disrupt his lines and lengths. Moreover, with Khawaja, already a left-handed batter at the top, promoting Head makes no sense. Having a left-right combination at the top of the order could be pivotal in pushing Indian bowlers on the back-foot.