Chair of selectors George Bailey has cast doubt over Travis Head’s place in the Australian Test side ahead of next year’s tour of India, hinting the South Australian could take on a “different role” in the subcontinent.
The 28-year-old received consecutive Player of the Match accolades in Adelaide and Perth after smacking 175 against the West Indies and 92 against South Africa, the latter coming in difficult batting conditions.
He’s quickly developing a reputation as one of the most intimidating middle-order batters in world cricket.
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Head’s aggressive batting style is perfectly suited for Australian pitches, where he can trust the consistent bounce and play with freedom, but his recent record in the subcontinent remains cause for concern.
The left-hander averages 57.17 with the bat on home soil, but that figure dips considerably to 23.76 when he travels overseas — and his performances in Asia have been even worse.
Head’s Test batting average in the subcontinent is currently 21.30, the third-lowest for an Australian top-order batter in history. His most recent scores in Asia are 14, 36, 8, 23, 26, 11*, 6, 12 and 5.
LOWEST TEST AVERAGE FOR AUSTRALIAN TOP-ORDER BATTERS IN ASIA
19.40 — Greg Blewett
20.16 — Richie Benaud
21.30 — Travis Head
22.00 — Dav Whatmore
22.28 — Matthew Wade
* Minimum 10 innings
The Australian’s susceptibility to spin early in his innings was glaring during recent Test tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka — in six knocks, he fell victim to slow bowling on five occasions, departing for less than 25 each time.
During this year’s Warne–Muralitharan Trophy in Sri Lanka, Australia scored more runs from extras (26) than off Head’s bat (23).
Batting in the subcontinent requires patience and discipline, traits that Head will gradually develop throughout his career, but it remains to be seen whether he’s done enough to secure the No. 5 spot for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Speaking to reporters after the recent Gabba Test, Bailey applauded the Australian team’s adaptability when confronted with foreign conditions, highlighting Head’s lack of experience on Asian wickets.
“I think you have to play different conditions, at different times,” Bailey said on Sunday.
“I think he (Head) has spoken to the fact he hasn’t been exposed to those conditions a great deal. And you can talk about it and try and replicate it but until you’ve actually been there and played on those types of wickets, that’s the only way, or certainly the fastest way of getting better in those conditions.
“Pat is driving this team to be very, very adaptable. So I think there are opportunities for players in the XI to play different roles at different times as well. So whether that’s the same for Travis in subcontinent tours, wait and see.”
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Meanwhile, Head has emerged as a surprise contender to replace David Warner at the top of the order if the veteran opener decides to hang up the boots or cops a tap on the shoulder before the India tour.
News Corp reports that Head could be considered a like-for-like replacement for Warner because his aggressive batting style mirrors that of the 36-year-old, who is under mounting pressure to unearth some runs.
Shifting Head up to order would create a vacancy in the middle order, allowing Australia to select an additional all-rounder option for team balance — perhaps Mitchell Marsh or Glenn Maxwell.
“The way Davey plays, I don’t think that’s going to be replaced,” Bailey said.
“The way he’s taken the game on, moved the game forward, the record he has, that’s a challenge that every team faces when you remove someone who in many respects has changed the way the game is played.
“I don’t think we’ll be looking to replace David Warner. But I think we’ve got some strong candidates waiting in the wings to bat at the top of the order for Australia.”
Head can take comfort in Usman Khawaja’s recent achievements in Asia. The Queenslander was unfairly pigeonholed as a home-track bully after scoring just 117 runs in his first five Tests in the subcontinent, averaging 14.62 with the bat.
Despite a successful 2016/17 home summer, Khawaja was cruelly dropped ahead of that year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with selectors recalling Mitchell Marsh.
But since the start of 2018, Khawaja has been comfortably Australia’s most prolific batter in the subcontinent, plundering 862 runs in Asia at 95.77, including three centuries.
