Travis the 'Head'ache for bowlers in all formats

Travis the 'Head'ache for bowlers in all formats (AP/ICC Photos)

Test matches: Box ticked. One-day Internationals: Box ticked. T20 Internationals: Box ticked.

Travis Head has done everything one can to establish himself as a force to fear in all formats of cricket. When he gets going, usually the game gets over. To earn that reputation in a short span of time is what makes his rise extraordinary.

Not an opener and hardly successful in the first half of his international career, he was a jack of all trades. Bat left-handed, bowl right-arm off-spin, field with energy and even keep wickets. From that to become one of the most terrifying openers in contemporary cricket is some metamorphosis.

Remarkably, he has adjusted to this role like a duck takes to water. For someone who played in the middle-order all his life, facing the new ball in a Test match is a sea change. Technique, temperament, mindset, shot selection, playing to the situation — a lot of things have to be rearranged. Head has kept it simple. He sees the ball and hits it.

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In his first innings against the new ball in Test cricket, he belted England out of the first match of the ongoing Ashes series launching a ferocious assault. It was low-scoring affair England was expecting to win. Head made a mockery of that 205-run target in a mere 28.2 overs by clobbering 123 off 83. He also has a century in a World Test Championship (WTC) final won by Australia.

Indians don’t like remembering the 2023 World Cup final because of this man. He took a fantastic catch in the first half to send back a dangerous-looking Rohit Sharma and when Australia started wobbling in their chase of 241, the player from South Australia dashed home hopes with a 120-ball 137.

His strike-rate in T20Is is 156-plus and he has redefined powerplay batting in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Abhishek Sharma. In one match in 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were 125/0 after six overs. Such absurdity is an exception, but Head made that the rule.

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There have been openers like Virender Sehwag and David Warner, who successfully implemented the white-ball philosophy of hitting the ball in Test cricket. But there is hardly anybody who has excelled in all three formats. That makes Head different from others of his breed. His impact never diminishes, be it Tests, ODIs or T20s.

Even though the mustache makes him look older, Head is going to turn 32 on December 29. He has found his motto and finalised his methods. The ball will be hit no matter what state it is in or who the bowler is. That’s a disconcerting though for bowlers the world over.