Cricket world rocked by Aussie star's axing

1 year ago 56

Australia has made a monolithic enactment gamble for the opening Test, axing Travis Head contempt a career-best summertime from the left-hander.

Head was a stunning omission erstwhile Australian skipper Pat Cummins revealed his squad astatine the toss, with Peter Handscomb recalled successful his favour.

The 29-year-old pounded 525 runs astatine an mean of 87.50 against the West Indies and South Africa implicit the Australian summer, but has struggled mightily successful the subcontinent, averaging conscionable 21.30 7 Tests.

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Australian large Matthew Hayden was among those stunned by Head's omission, with the legendary opener admitting helium was near "speechless" astatine the toss.

"I can't judge it. For me, helium was the subordinate of the summer," Hayden said connected Fox Cricket's coverage.

"Totally antithetic conditions to Brisbane I know, but his 90 determination was truthful good. He made it look level adjacent though it wasn't, it was a raging green-top."

Handscomb has played 5 Tests successful India and has averaged 25.25 successful his erstwhile outings successful the country.

The 31-year-old hadn't played a Test since January 2019 earlier being recalled for the bid opener successful Nagpur.

Hayden was acold from the lone erstwhile Australian Test fable to beryllium stunned by the call, with ex-captain Steve Waugh arsenic bemused.

"Hard to judge we tin driblet the No.4 ranked Test batsman successful the satellite and astir apt our champion batsman successful the past 12 months positive helium bowls amended than mean disconnected rotation - let's hold and spot - possibly the Aussie selectors are genius's!" Waugh wrote connected Instagram.

Former Australian keeper Brad Haddin suggested Handscomb's superior grounds against rotation whitethorn person gotten him the motion implicit Head, who is much prolific against pacemen.

"Peter Handscomb is cognize arsenic being a truly bully subordinate of rotation bowling, helium has played good present successful the past," Brad Haddin said connected Fox Cricket's coverage.

"Travis Head's grounds successful the subcontinent has been poor.

"It won't beryllium the past clip we spot him successful the subcontinent, I deliberation helium conscionable needs a small spot much clip to get utilized to his crippled successful these conditions."

Australia was pegged backmost connected the archetypal league aft winning the flip and electing to bat first, losing some Usman Khawaja and David Warner successful the opening 2 overs.

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