The relentlessness of India’s attack is what lingers on Travis Head’s mind from his 2018 test series experience, as he prepares for the rematch that will begin by captaining Australia A, which has national captain Tim in its ranks. Paine, in the three days. match at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney starting Sunday.
The composition of the Indian team has yet to be confirmed, but it will be the first opportunity on the tour for the testing specialists to be in the middle in a suitable match setting. Head sees this and the three-day game of day and night at the SCG as key parts of the series. “They are a really important couple of games for us,” he said, “not just as an Australian A-team, but also as an Australian team and we want to start putting pressure on the Indians.”
Head was in the early days of his testing career when he was part of Australia’s middle order in the 2-1 series loss, and now feels like a more complete player with 17 tests and a 41.96 average in his to have. However, the attack from India that he will face for the next six weeks holds most of those who have been here two years ago, save for the injured Ishant Sharma, who fired him three times in the series, and Head expects an equally demanding challenge.
“I think my game has developed a lot since then,” he said. “You get confidence in everything you’ve done, you take experiences from every game you’ve played and every team you’ve faced. It’s good to have some memories of that series, but they are an incredible bowling attack and to be well supported throughout. .
“It’s the way they were able to back and support each other, not unlike how we are with our attack, you pass the new ball and someone like [Mohammed] Shami walks in and is so unforgiving in her length. There was just no rest, you had to be there for every bowler. That’s what is expected of Test cricket, but that was my first real look at a quality attack like that. The following spells are as strong as the first, so they have to be activated 100% of the time. “
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Head recently lost the vice-captaincy of Test when the role reverted to traditional single rather than job sharing, and Pat Cummins took the title. However, with Australia planning ahead for its next lead on the test side, as long as Paine calls him a day, Head remains the only candidate who gets regular job experience with his state.
“Trevor [Hohns, the chief selector] let me know they were going back to one and I agree perfectly with that, “said Head.” There was no real reflection on anything he had done wrong. I received very good feedback on the way I am developing. I had a great privilege to get that opportunity in the first place as I hadn’t played much in Test and being vice-captain of an Ashes series was a great opportunity for me and something I learned a lot from.
“I think I offered a little bit to that and have captained South Australia for a good part of my career, and it’s something that just keeps developing. At the end of the day, I have to get races, if you can help on the side with leadership and then fantastic.
“It is something that I enjoy very much and I am very passionate about. I have always said that it is not something that haunts me or worries me too much. My role does not change if I am vice-captain or not, it is another great opportunity to continue developing. Very lucky to be having Painey on my side and I’ve been talking to him again in the last few days, there’s a lot of leadership on this Australia A team so I’ll keep picking the brains of those guys. “
Head comes to the accumulated test after a productive start to the Sheffield Shield season, which included scores of 171 no and 151 in all four games for South Australia. Since then, there have had to be quick changes of plans with Adelaide players rushing out of the city amid the Covid-19 scare last month. He has been with the Adelaide Strikers at Coffs Harbor for the past two weeks and was very grateful that his teammates helped him with the preparation.
“I was very lucky that they could take time out of their personal preparation to throw the red ball at me,” he said. “For the last 15 days I have been training hard. I feel like I am hitting the ball well and hopefully with the same touch as the Shield season. My cricket preparation does not change whether I am in Coffs Harbor or Adelaide, it is only 15 days the more away from home is the hardest part of leaving. “
Australia’s team A includes off-roader Cameron Green, who has been released from the T20I team, but leg player Mitchell Swepson will remain with the white ball players, so there will be no front-line player for the home team. One of the main focuses from the Australian point of view will be the performances of Joe Burns, who fought for races at the beginning of the season, and the open-minded Will Pucovski, and now the duo are expected to form the initial pair in the first test. in the absence of David Warner. .
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