How Can India Tackle Travis Head In 1st BGT Test

Anurag Dasgupta

Head has outstanding records Vs India [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.Com] Head has outstanding records Vs India [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.Com]

In every generation, there comes an Australian player who loves to face the Indian bowling attack. During the 2000s, it was Ricky Ponting, who scored countless runs and won countless matches for his team against India.

From 2014-2021, it was Steve Smith's era as the unconventional batter with his gritty approach scored truckloads of runs against the Asian side and made a mockery of their attack, not only in Tests, but in ODIs as well.

While Smith's run-scoring form has dipped against India, the mantle now has been taken over by the explosive Travis Head. It all started in the World Test Championship (WTC) finals 2023, where Head rescued Australia from a precarious situation by slamming a majestic hundred against the Indian team. The caravan continued in the 2023 World Cup final, where he once again stood tall and blasted a quick-fire ton to seal the World Cup for his nation.

Come the T20 World Cup 2024, Head was at it again, as he smashed the Indian bowlers, but this time, luck ran out and Australia lost the match as they bowed out of the tournament. So, with the Border-Gavaskar series coming up, we look at how India can stop Travis Head from scoring runs in the upcoming series.

Travis Head's Test record Vs India

Category
Details
Matches
10
Runs715
Balls1255
4s/6s81/8
Average42.05

Against India, he started slowly, but post the 2021 series against England, a rejuvenated Head was born as he started to pile on runs Vs India and other sides. In 10 matches, he has 715 runs against them, and the most important knock came in the WTC finals, when he scored a title winning ton.

How Can India Get Travis Head Out?

Bowl full, around the wicket and cramp him for room

Head loves delivery which are generally good length or just short of good length, because it allows him to free his arms and destroy the bowling attack. However, if India need to minimise this effect, they should cramp him for room and come around the wicket and try and go a bit fuller.

The fuller length will allow the ball to swing and perhaps the Indian side can induce an edge or if the ball can nip back in, it can shatter his stumps as well.

Bowl short with leg side trap

The second way to dismiss Head is by pepping him up with short balls. Every cricketer has a certain weakness and short delivery is Head's weakness. Maybe Jasprit Bumrah can place a short leg, a fine leg, deep square leg and provoke Head to take on the short ball. This can induce a top-edge and the ball can go safely in the hands of the keeper.

Alternatively, the Indian seamers can target his rib-cage with bouncers. It will cramp him for room and the short leg fielder will come into play. The video above shows how to tackle Head. Here, Starc is bowling short and Head looks disbalanced as he gets cramped for room and has no idea how to play the ball.