Travis Head did not see his controversial axing for the first Test in India coming but says he will bat anywhere Australia needs him.
The 29-year-old missed the Border-Gavaskar series opener in Nagpur after being dropped based on his poor record batting in Asia.
Head, the world’s No.4-ranked Test batter, was coming off an outstanding 2022 in Australian conditions, but struggled on the tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“It was something that I didn’t expect coming here, sometimes that happens,” Head said on Saturday of his axing.
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“The conversations were robust. Everyone has different opinions.
“I respect the coaching staff and selectors and I have a really strong relationship with them.
Travis Head. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“That’s what made the conversations go the way they went, because there’s respect that goes both ways and we were able to voice our opinions.
“I woke up the next morning and I’m still on tour playing for Australia, I still get to do what I love to do.”
Head’s rollercoaster first Test tour of India continued when he was recalled for the second match in Delhi, coming in at the expense of Matt Renshaw.
After scoring 12 batting at No.5 in the first innings, the South Australian was promoted up the order the following day after veteran opener David Warner was subbed out of the match with concussion.
It was just the third time in his first-class career Head had opened the batting.
The aggressive left-hander looked right at home alongside Usman Khawaja at the top of the second innings.
Head blazed a run-a-ball unbeaten 39 to shock India’s bowlers before stumps on the second day.
He added just four to his overnight score, but Head still top scored for Australia as they collapsed in abysmal fashion in their second innings.
“It was a small sample piece, but over here small sample pieces can be a little bit of gold to hopefully push on for the next two Tests,” Head said.
“I felt like the process was right, hopefully the outcome turns out in the near future.
“I’ve done it a lot in one-day cricket, and especially here (in India) is the one place that is as close to one-day cricket as it could be.
“It’s only going to swing for a few overs and then batting’s normally at its best.”
David Warner walks off after he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Australia coach Andrew McDonald has all but guaranteed Head will open the batting after Warner this week exited the tour with a broken elbow.
“Honestly, after missing out in the first Test, I’d bat anywhere that the team needed me to get a game – I’ve always said that,” Head said.
“The game can move extremely quickly in these conditions, I think we’ve seen that in Sri Lanka (last year) where we had a day like that as well. It’s an experienced group and you try to limit those days as much as you can.
“It’s tough to try to gain momentum when the team is as good as they are and they can exert that much pressure on you that it can crack. But it’s a challenge for us over the next couple of weeks, when we find ourselves in moments, how can we draw it back.
“When it’s a full stadium and there’s noise going and wickets falling, how we can draw that back?”
After almost two weeks based in the Indian capital, Australia will relocate to Indore on Sunday to prepare for the third Test, which starts on Wednesday.
Steve Smith will captain the team in the absence of Pat Cummins, who remains in Australia to be with his seriously ill mother.
Jb
Guest
Why do you always whinge ?
Chanon
Roar Rookie
That rug really tied the room together :stoked:
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yes, I thought you did think that way, but that article only seeks to explain the strange choices; it does nothing to expose its error and contradictions.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Anyway, there was a WA Shield game on at the time.
Clear as mud
Guest
i replied backing you in on the Kuhnemann revisionism, a Quiney-esque 2-110 and 6 runs in aggregate. in the ether...
Pop
Roar Rookie
The treatment of Agar was inexcusable and humiliating. Agar handled himself with great character. There needs to be a review into all the selections that went on.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Thanks Clear as, good article.
Clear as mud
Guest
oh the kuhnemann revisionism is bizarre. he got 2-110 from 28 overs on a spinner's paradise. a princely 6 runs. imagine if Agar returned that... don't, everyone imagined that despite it never happening i really wanted to flood the roar with anti Kuhnemann vitriol ball by ball, and on cricinfo. one man's pie is another man's whatever. but my heart wasn't in it. i had many more important things to do. -- like i said, it was REASONABLY considered. it's all relative. like the Maxwell stuff in 17-18 and then 18, you just have to do an Elsa and Let it Go. well, I do.
Simoc
Guest
No doubt the selectors are talking rubbish and making irrational idiotic selections. Head and Agars demonstrate. Kuhnemann does not look test quality and Agar can bat. Good piece by Chappelli on the silly selectors.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
The past 5.5 years have been horrendous. Homeless over 4 years, bankrupted, cancer 2x, hip replacement, hernias 2x, bros death and even arrested applying for work. This site is one of my tether-stones. My astrology harem is the other outlet. ------ I'm getting a small but needed payout and then a claim for 10 years lost wages being actioned just now. Cue "Tubthumping".
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think that misses every important point. The idea that Kuhnemann's selection was proven correct because he bowled well for periods is crazy reasoning. Agar can bowl well consistently. The idea that the real question was why he was selected for Sydney is not the real question. Why was he used in 3 and 4 over spells. A finger spinner's role is to bowl long spells and take their scoring away. Agar went at 2.14 an over. He did his role; his captain didn't. The craziest rational was Dodemaide's, "We think Kuhnemann's style was better suited...it was close." Their styles are the same; over-spin more than side spin 88-94kph, Agar has greater variety of flight, more subtle speed variation and greater accuracy. When selection was that "close", wouldn't you think the bloke they selected for the tour would have priority? If it was that close, wouldn't you think the better batsman could shorten that long, ugly tail? That article just collated a range of feeble excuses with no representation of Agar's claims for inclusion.
nics
Roar Rookie
Sorry to hear that Rowdy - seems to be a lot going on for you recently. Commisserations.
Clear as mud
Guest
this is a reasonably considered piece I reckon. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/how-ashton-agar-s-test-career-was-stalled-again-in-india-aus-vs-ind-1360503
Pop
Roar Rookie
The conversation was “robust”. Travis’ inner thoughts, “ Why are you stuffing me around.?”
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Gateway Airport, it seems every airport is a gateway to somewhere. For Trump it was the Gateway to the War of Independence.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
"Ahhhmazing" Dr Harry Hu.
Clear as mud
Guest
No. You. Relentlessly. Until you leave or change your name
Clear as mud
Guest
Unlike you Head has more than one trick
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Bumped into him along the Yellow River, l met Master Kong in the middle of the sixth century in the state of Lu. Famously called ‘The Axial Age’, Plato, the Buddha, Zoroaster & the Hebrew Prophets all sprung up around this time. :stoked:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Oh the irony, the truth is rockin my head