TRAVIS Head was the only batter who had some answers to the Indian bowling attack, as evidenced by his fighting 89 in the second innings, last week in Perth that eventually delayed the inevitable victory for the visitors. As the series moves to Adelaide for the second Test, local hero Head will look to carry his form into his home Test.

Head was named Player of the Match in the Adelaide Test for the last two years and he put that down to the venue suiting his game as the square boundaries are a lot shorter. Having played all his domestic cricket on this ground, the South Australian felt that knowing the conditions well could work in his

favour yet again.
“Knowing it quite well and I have been fortunate to be put in a couple of really good positions to bat,” Head said on Monday. “I’ve come in at some nice times. And growing up and playing on this wicket, it probably suits my game a bit more being (shorter) square of the wicket and the way that the ball can react off the wicket. It’s going to be a challenge but I feel like I’m moving well, feel like I’m in a good space and go out and try and execute that.”
Head was a key wicket for the Indians in the second innings and he was one of Jasprit Bumrah’s victims. He admitted that Bumrah, who has been a challenge for the home side, would go down as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time.
“Jasprit is probably going to go down as one of the greatest fast bowlers to play the game. We’re finding that at the moment, how challenging he can be and it’s nice to play against that. It’s going to be nice to look back at your career and tell the grandkids that you faced him… Hopefully I only have to face a few more times as he’s been challenging.

“I’m best when I look for the cues, when I’m just preparing to watch the ball hard and staying fresh mentally. I think I’m lucky that I’ve faced him a few times and come across him a fair bit. So, I just go back over recent times, and times I’ve faced him. We’ve been very fortunate to have played against him a lot so I know what’s coming, it’s just making sure I’m prepared and fresh to start well.”

Head said that the hosts were heavily outplayed in the Perth Test but it probably didn’t sting as much as a loss with a closer margin would.
“Different (review) for different guys. The writing was on the wall pretty quickly in that Test match that we were pushing it uphill. So for me, it was reflecting in-game what we could have done better and by the time that result had come, 99 times out of 100 that result was going to come. A pretty easy one as such to move on and get over, and start talking about what’s coming. It’s probably the closer losses that hit you with a bit of surprise that it takes a few days. But with the way that Test was playing out we were outplayed for most of that Test. So pretty easy to realise what we did wrong, and we get three or four days to work on them.”

Head said the absence of Josh Hazlewood would be a massive loss for the second Test but admitted that they have enough quality in their ranks to trouble the Indian batters. The southpaw felt Brendan Doggett, one of the replacements for Hazlewood, would adapt to the pink-ball really well given the success he has enjoyed at the Adelaide Oval.

“He’s a huge loss, I thought he was one of our best. He bowled exceptionally well without some luck at certain stages,” Head said on Hazlewood. “He’s always going to be missed but we’ve got some pretty good stocks in the sheds with Scott (Boland), with Sean (Abbott) and Dog (Doggett). Dog had an exceptional A series, Sean’s been on the radar for a long time and Boland has been doing his thing. He’s been in the wings for a while so it will be nice to see him get an opportunity if he does, and I think he’ll suit the pink ball really well. He’s had great success against South Australia at Adelaide Oval for a long time.” (Cricbuzz)