Dubai [UAE], January 23 (ANI): Explosive southpaw Travis Head is open to a shift in role in the batting order during Australia’s upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Head has featured as a regular middle-order batter for Australia. But Head is willing to move up to play alongside Usman Khawaja if the conditions in Galle deem it best for the team.
The speculations around Head returning to the opening slot have started to build up, considering his past track record and the success he got in the sub-continent in 2023.
But Konstas has made a strong case for him, considering the firey entry in Test cricket against India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the Boxing Day clash in the BGt series.
During Australia’s centre-wicket match practice at the ICC Academy in Dubai, it was the number three batter, Marnus Labuschagne, who came to play alongside Khawaja, according to cricket.com.au.
Head joined the middle-order group while Konstas was present in the next one. As the speculations continue to build around Australia’s playing XI, Head has clarified no decision will be made on playing XI until conditions in Galle are examined.
“I wouldn’t say (yesterday) was any indication. I think we’ll get on the ground (in Sri Lanka) and see what we’re dealing with. I’ve said before I’m very flexible about where I go and where I need to bat for this team, and how they think we’re going to win the game. That’s all that really matters,” Head told cricket.com.au.
“Once we get on the ground in Sri Lanka and see the wicket then the powers that be will make a call on what they think is the best make-up to win a Test match,” he added.
On his previous trip to Sri Lanka in 2022, Head acknowledged that he was in the middle of a transition phase which was prompted due to scheduling that saw Australia play five consecutive Tests in Asia.
During that period, Head could only muster up 91 runs from seven innings at an average of barely 15. His performance gave him a clear indication of being more proactive than taking the traditional approach.
“Earlier in my career I probably tried to bat a bit more traditionally and tried to back my forward defence and bat long periods of time. But in these (subcontinent) conditions it can feel like one of them has got your name on it, so if you can be more proactive you can get the field spread out,” he said.
“We had Pakistan not long before that (Sri Lanka) series, and I made the decision that I wanted to be a bit more proactive even before India (in 2023). But having learned from that and not been very successful with what I was doing, I tried to take a bit more of a relaxed approach about things,” he continued.
“I tried to enjoy the chaos and perhaps take a bit more of a white-ball tempo in India, and it paid off. So coming back here I feel like I’m a different player and in a different position in my life. I know that’s not going to guarantee success, but I feel like I’m in a good place to be able to adapt to the conditions and be a bit more relaxed about things,” he remarked.
Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. (ANI)
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