Travis Head continues to amaze after another masterful knock that only goes on to cement his lore in Test Cricket.
“I’ll do it.”
Travis Head started a series of events with three words that had to be witnessed in order to be believed.
Within Australia’s intellectual community, a thought bubble had been present for a considerable amount of time. What if Travis Head replaced Usman Khawaja in the second innings, when the surface was flatter and quick runs were required, and Khawaja started in the first, when the wicket was fresh and at its most difficult in Australian conditions?
That thought bubble became a reality due to Khawaja’s back spasms in Perth. Head offered to replace Khawaja in the second innings after Australia had unsuccessfully fudged the order to do so in the first. And just four and a half hours earlier, Australia seemed to have no right to win the Test match, but he delivered with an incredible attack on England.
Even by the standards of the man who has amassed a career collection of incredible game-winning innings on the grandest stage, the batting was astounding.
His 2021–2022 performances had already made him an Ashes star. A World Test Championship, an ODI World Cup, and a Border-Gavaskar Trophy have already been taken from India by him alone.
He now has the second-fastest century in Ashes history, off 69 balls, and has taken another opening Ashes Test in Australia away from England.
Shortly after the winning runs were scored, Ben Stokes was asked to sum up his feelings and appeared to have seen a ghost.
“I mean, at the moment, I’m still in a little bit of wow phase, after what Travis Head has just done to us,” Stokes said. “That was a pretty incredible, special knock from Travis.”
When Head’s name was called, there was a lot of excitement on the pitch as he went out to bat with Jake Weatherald. Australia needed to produce the highest total of the game in order to chase down 205.
Everyone, even England, was aware of what Head was going to try. Head, however, never ceases to astound.
After a long period of waiting, he let loose his rage. He was lashed past midwicket by his first real half-volley. The next was forced under cover. He leaned back and launched the first poisonous short ball over the slips for a six. He eventually flayed one on the climb through cover on the 22nd. Australia reached 50 in 9.3 overs when another full wide ball was cut over wide deep third.
There were “no surprises” with what England came up with, according to Head. He was taken aback by his shape. He admitted to having some reservations. After an incredibly poor run of white-ball cricket form that required him to play a Sheffield Shield match, Head had been a silent worry for Australia going into the series. With scores of 9 and 15, he failed miserably in both innings.
He was a perfect fit for it. He outperformed every other batter in the game by a wide margin. Calls to open permanently will be made. After David Warner retired, Head said he had discussed the notion with Australia’s hierarchy if necessary, but he now understands why he was ranked fifth at home.
The fear has been what they might lose in the middle order. But given the fear he has struck in England and Stokes, they may well utter three more words.
“Let’s do it.”