Former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell has heaped reward on Travis Head for his audacious and efficient method towards India’s tempo spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, through the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy collection. In his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, Chappell highlighted Head’s skill to not simply survive towards Bumrah but in addition counter-attack, disrupting the rhythm of one of many world’s most formidable bowlers. Head’s performances towards Bumrah stand out in a collection the place many batters have struggled towards the Ahmedabad-born pacer’s unorthodox motion, searing tempo, and pinpoint accuracy. Bumrah has picked up 21 wickets in three Tests at a jaw-dropping common of 10.90. Despite Bumrah dismissing Head twice, the left-hander has managed to attain 83 runs off him at a median of 41.5 and a blistering strike price of 91.2.
Chappell emphasised Head’s fearless intent and proactive mindset in his method to tackling Bumrah. “Head’s performances against Jasprit Bumrah in this series exemplify his fearless approach,” Chappell wrote.
“While most batsmen struggle to survive Bumrah’s unorthodox action, sharp pace, and relentless accuracy, Head has treated him like any other bowler. By playing with intent and looking to score off Bumrah, Head has not only nullified his threat but disrupted his rhythm.”
Chappell additional praised Head’s technical proficiency, particularly his skill to dominate short-pitched deliveries and execute precision drives to fuller ones. “His ability to dispatch short deliveries with authority and drive fuller ones with precision has been remarkable, underscoring the strides he has made,” the previous Indian head coach added.
Head’s fearless batting has been a key element in Australia’s performances within the collection. His quick-fire 140 within the pink-ball Test got here when Australia had been below strain at 103/3, a knock that shifted the momentum again of their favour. In the third Test in Brisbane, Head’s monumental 152 off 160 balls, which included a mammoth 241-run partnership with Steve Smith, additional showcased his skill to dominate world-class bowlers in difficult situations.
Beyond his batting prowess, Chappell believes Head’s consistency throughout codecs and his temperament make him a powerful contender to succeed Pat Cummins as Australia’s captain. The 76-year-old wrote, “I believe Travis to be the most improved batter in world cricket in the past three years and in becoming so, has firmed in favoritism to be the next Australian captain. In his current form, Travis exemplifies the Australian way of batting.”
Chappell additionally aligned his views with these of former Australian gamers Ricky Ponting and Ian Healy, who’ve been vocal of their admiration for Head. “I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen when he was batting in the Brisbane Test,” Chappell remarked.
With the collection locked at 1-1, the upcoming Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, beginning on Thursday can be pivotal for each groups.
Topics talked about on this article
