Australian power hitter Travis Head reinforced a sentiment recently voiced by captain Pat Cummins that batting orders may now be slightly overrated. For Head, Australia’s strength lies in its wealth of batting options, where players can be reshuffled to seize momentum or exploit a matchup. This attitude was on full display when Head walked out to open in the second innings of the first Ashes Test in Perth, where he played one of the greatest innings in Ashes history. Head, opening the innings in place of injured Khawaja, took on the challenge, unsettling England’s new-ball plans.
"I agree with Pat (Cummins). I think you could use this order and these players in a range of different ways, and whatever way that is, to win games of cricket. I know we've seen it in red-ball, but particularly in pink ball as well – non-traditional stuff with double nightwatchmen and how you use orders and how you use players in certain situations. Yeah, I agree with Pat that they are slightly overrated. The traditionalists will say that that's how it's got to be, but this is where the game's going - when to use that and when's the right time?. We're going to have good moments of it; we're going to have bad moments of it. But it's ever-evolving," Head said while speaking to reporters ahead of the second Test in Brisbane.
Travis Head, however, proved his capability of transforming seamlessly between roles as he played a devastating knock of 123 off 83, stunning England's helpless bowling attack.
"Yeah, I felt like I was just really conscious about how I was going to start my innings. I'm very lucky to have done it (opening) a fair bit in international cricket already. I know it's white-ball cricket, but it's still a 10-20 minute changeover from going to fielding to batting, and I've done that quite regularly."
"I thought that my first 30 balls were really sound, and then when their game plan shifted, my mindset shifted as well. I was very calm in the situation. Obviously, I was pretty keen to do it," Head said.