Travis Head is in the best form of his career ahead of next week’s Boxing Day Test. (Getty Images: Chris Head)
In short:
Travis Head was dropped after the Boxing Day Test match against India in the 2020/21 season.
His career has taken a major turn, as evidenced by his second consecutive century in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
What’s next?
Before the fourth test match, the score between Australia and India was tied at 1-1.
Even Travis Head could hardly recognise the batsman who had played against India at the MCG four years ago.
McSweeney dropped for Boxing Day Test
Photo shows Sam Konstas holding his bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG
Australian selectors have chosen to include New South Wales starlet Sam Konstas in their squad for the fourth Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), leaving opening bowler Nathan McSweeney out.
Head was edged out twice due to his poor form, pushing the ball on the 38th and 17th balls, as Australia were defeated by eight wickets in the 2020 Boxing Day Test.
The left-hander was subsequently squeezed out of the Australian squad to allow Will Pucovski to make his debut in the following Test series in Sydney, raising questions about Head’s future in the red-ball format.
“I lost my international contract and then I went to Sussex and I did really badly there,” Head said.
“I tried to continue hitting the ball the same way I was hitting it, but it didn’t work.
“Then in my last game at Sussex, I was 49-46 up in the second innings and I thought, ‘Fuck it, I’ve just got to hold on’.
“And I was doing pretty well, so I thought, ‘Why shouldn’t I do this?’.”
Head (right) hits his second century during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Brisbane. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)
The match against Kent at Canterbury was a turning point in Head’s career, as evidenced by the high level of achievement he has achieved since being recalled for the 2021/22 Ashes series.
It has come to the point where, when Head arrives in Melbourne for the tournament on Christmas Eve on Sunday, he will be Australia’s most important player.
Since returning to the Australian team, Head has won Man of the Match honors in eight of the 33 Test matches he has played.
He averaged 46.71 during that period and scored nine centuries.
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After the first three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Cup series, Head scored 409 runs at an average of 81.80, including consecutive centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane.
Hyde said he was a far cry from the batsman who left the Melbourne Cricket Ground four years ago with a yellow card.
“I was worried about my technique,” he said.
“My theory was if I could stay there long enough, my offense would take over and I would be able to score there.
“Now what I think is, if you can score, don’t worry about getting out. If you can’t score, get in position so you don’t get out.
“My biggest worry right now is running.”
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