NEW DELHI: Australia’s star batsman Travis Head thrives on batting alongside Test stalwart
Steve Smith, as it brings out his best performances on the field. Head’s remarkable innings of 146 not out off 156 balls during the first day of the
World Test Championship final against India placed Australia in a dominant position.
Head and Smith formed an unbeaten partnership of 251 runs, with Smith just five runs away from reaching his century.
“I’ve always said I do really enjoy batting with Steve because of how much attention he receives. He’s one of the best players in the world, probably our best player,” said Head.
“He’s our best batter, he’s unbelievable in these conditions, and he receives so much attention from opposition in terms of plans and how difficult he is to bowl to, so I’ve always said going out to bat with him, it feels like you’re in the shadow of that, you can sort of stay under the radar and go about your business,” he said.
Head hammered 22 fours and the only six of the game so far for his first century outside Australia.
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WTC Final: Travis Head, Steve Smith put Australia on top against India on Day 1
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<p>Travis Head’s dashing century was the centrepiece of an Australia fightback against India on the opening day of the World Test Championship final at The Oval on Wednesday. </p>
<p>Australia were in a commanding position on 327/3 at stumps after losing the toss, with Head 146 not out and Steve Smith 95 not out. </p>
<p>India started strongly when Mohammed Siraj removed Usman Khawaja for a duck with an excellent wobble-seam delivery and Australia were 2/1. </p>
<p>David Warner’s promising innings ended on 43 when a gloved pull off Shardul Thakur was well caught down the legside by diving wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat.</p>
<p>Marnus Labuschagne fell early in the second session for his lunch score of 26 when he was bowled between bat and pad by a Mohammed Shami inswinger.</p>
<p>Head and Smith then came together with Australia in trouble at 76/3 in bowler-friendly conditions, but as the sun burst through the clouds, the runs started to flow.</p>
<p>Head was troubled by Ravindra Jadeja but by counter-attacking from the start of his innings — 24 of his first 27 runs came in boundaries — he put the pressure back on the bowlers.</p>
<p>With Smith, who before this match averaged nearly 98 in Tests at The Oval, batting in more conventional fashion it gave Head freedom to keep playing his shots. </p>
<p>By the time India tested Head with the short ball, he was well set and a pulled single off Mohammed Shami took him to a sixth Test hundred in just 106 balls, including 14 fours and a six. </p>
<p>Smith brought up the pair’s 250 stand off the last ball of the day when he guided Mohammed Shami through the covers for a sweetly timed four. </p>
The southpaw said his current frame of mind and the technical changes he made to his batting after 2019 has contributed to his impressive run.
“Losing the toss in the morning I thought it was going to be a challenging day. Nice to contribute nice to get a good start.”
Talking about his approach, he added: “I said in the lead in to the game, if balls are there to be scored off I am going to score off it. There were challenging periods but the ball gets to the boundary very quickly here if you find middle of the bat.
“Technically, I have made those changes but for all around. I felt I needed to adapt to each condition. The foundations in my game has surely a changed a lot since 2019.”
(With inputs from PTI)
