'In your head': Asian failures set trap for Aussie gun

1 year ago 56

Ian Chappell has urged Travis Head to beryllium a pupil of Steve Smith's intelligence crippled successful India, but the Australian cricket icon insists the left-hander indispensable backmost his ain method arsenic helium tries to overturn his mediocre overseas record.

Head averages 57.4 successful location Tests but lone 23.76 away. The South Australian has besides scored 5 Test tons successful Australia but nary overseas. He was yet to marque his Test debut erstwhile Australia past visited India for Test cricket successful 2017, but he's toured Pakistan and Sri Lanka and struggled connected the slow, spin-friendly decks, averaging 22.66 and 7.66 successful those subcontinent countries respectively.

Head was superb against the West Indies and South Africa implicit the astir caller Australian summer, blasting 312 runs astatine 156 against the erstwhile and 213 runs astatine 53.25 against the Proteas. He did so blast the touring attacks, tapping into one-day mode successful Australia's mediate order, particularly successful a sound of 70 from 59 balls successful Sydney.

But whether the 29-year-old is capable to nutrient a akin output successful India — wherever top-class spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja volition beryllium plying their trade successful particulate bowls, and wherever the shot won't beryllium generating arsenic overmuch velocity from the wicket — remains a nervy prospect.

On the contrary, Smith has been prolific successful Tests successful India, averaging 60 and posting 3 centuries. His Test mean connected Australian soil, 64.51, is lone a tad better.

Chappell formed his caput backmost to Doug Walters arsenic helium picked isolated Head's crippled connected the verge of the India series.

"I learned this from trying to bat similar 1 of my chap teammates successful my aboriginal days. It was Doug Walters successful this case," Chappell told Wide World of Sports.

"After 5 minutes I thought to myself, 'Mate, you're not Doug Walters, you don't play similar him, truthful don't effort and beryllium similar him'.

"So, what I recovered I learned from antithetic players successful my ain squad was chiefly mental.

"And I deliberation that's wherever Travis Head tin larn from Steve Smith. He mightiness chat to him astir the intelligence facet of batting successful India.

"People said to me, 'You'll person to bat otherwise successful England to the mode you bat successful Australia'. I batted precisely the aforesaid successful England arsenic I batted successful Australia, due to the fact that that's me, that's the mode I play. Now, if it hadn't been moving I would person had to marque a small accommodation on the way.

"But if you get to Test level, the main things that tin spell incorrect are successful your head.

"And I deliberation that's wherever Travis Head could larn from Steve Smith, who's had large occurrence successful India. He's got a method that works successful India. Talk to him astir however helium does that.

"But don't effort and commencement playing otherwise due to the fact that he's learned that from Steve Smith, due to the fact that what works for Steve Smith whitethorn not enactment for Travis Head."

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With the objection of the Sydney Test against England successful 2022, which saw him sidelined by COVID-19, Head has been a subordinate of each Australian Test XI since returning for that Ashes series.

He was axed midway done the location bid against India successful the 2020-21 summer, earlier efficaciously winning backmost his spot astatine Matthew Wade's expense.

In Australia and distant since Head mounted his comeback, the selectors person kept religion successful him.

"Travis Head knows his ain game. He's conscionable got to play his ain game," Chappell added.

"He mightiness person to marque an set oregon 2 due to the fact that it's not Australia, it's India, but he's a Test cricketer. But that's what a Test cricketer's occupation is: to marque these small adjustments.

"But successful essence, he's conscionable got to spell determination and beryllium Travis Head.

"And if he's successful, it's terrific. If he's not, good he's got to enactment retired wherefore it's not moving and he's got to effort and close connected the run."

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