It’s a well-known Australian tale. In difficult circumstances, grow a moustache to become a ruthless, macho super-hero. Legends throughout history, like Dennis Lillee, Allan Border, David Boon, and Mitchell Johnson, have used it successfully. For Travis Head, the nation’s newest moustache-sporting idol, it is effective. Head’s hairy crop of facial hair enhances his new-fangled image as a cold-eyed counterpuncher, the ice-hearted anti-hero in a 1980s film. It is not as threatening as that of Johnson or Merv Hughes, nor is it as attractive as those of Greg Chappell.
From his career-saving Ashes hundred in Brisbane, he has repeatedly shown himself to be Australia’s steely crisis manager, the man to grasp opportunities, and the distant inheritor of Adam Gilchrist’s duty of instantly closing all windows of the enemy’s optimism.
The commentators had begun to chuckle about the ashes as Travis Head raced towards his hundred, enduring a mini-bouncer barrage in his 90s. How quickly England will attack him and how many difficulties they will cause him. Travis Head must be accustomed to it by this point because, despite the overwhelming number of runs, others continue to have reservations about him. In him, no.
Also read, Team India’s Predicted XI vs Australia, WTC Final: Ravichandran Ashwin Or Ravindra Jadeja Or Both – Major Question For Rohit Sharma’s Team
Travis Head steals Indian momentum on day 1:
Mohammed Shami was beginning to feel like taking wickets. Only 30 minutes later, all the momentum India had built up appeared to vanish in the intense sunlight. Head quickly reached 28 off 17 balls in those 30 minutes. The Indian bowlers couldn’t be held responsible if they got caught in an IPL time-wrap. Because Head took the game from them before they could even realise what was happening.
Never once during those 17 balls did Head appear completely at ease. Shami harassed him with speed and bounce while Mohammed Siraj thrashed him with a leg-cutter. This is the excitement and drama of watching Head bat. He seemed to be a fair ball away from being dismissed. There is hardly any front-foot stride, hardly a shuffle over, a weaker-than-clear weight shift to the rear foot, and an open bat face that looks to invite edges. In Test cricket, he possesses all the notes of death. But he doesn’t; instead, he rattles off a tonne of match-winning dimensions. similar to the one at Oval, which was finished in 106 balls.
If one thing is clear it is that it is going to be difficult for the Indian team to win the WTC final. The Australian are fully rested and prepared. Indian players on the other might still have some fatigue after the IPL ended.
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