Michael Clarke On Travis Head Short Ball Weakness: Former Australian Cricket Team captain Michael Clarke has backed Australia batter Travis Head’s ability to score big runs after Indian Cricket Team bowler Akash Deep highlighted how Head has a weakness against short balls.
Travis Head has had a superb Border-Gavaskar Trophy so far. In the first three Australia vs India Test matches, the Adelaide native has scored two centuries, one in his home ground and the other at The Gabba in Brisbane.
After scoring 152 in the first inning of the third Test in Brisbane, Head was dismissed cheaply in the second inning; the in-form batter was only able to score 17 runs, getting out to a short ball to which he found the top edge of his bat.
Check Out: Michael Clarke On Travis Head Short Ball Weakness
Following that match, Akash Deep, who impressed in his first outing in Australia in the third Test, discussed Head’s weakness against short balls, saying,
“I think Travis Head, in particular, struggles against short balls. We won’t let him settle at the crease. We’ll target specific areas and hope to force him into mistakes, which will create chances for us.”
While this has shown to be somewhat true in the past, Indian pacers have so far failed to exploit this weakness against a better team that has been a thorn in their side for over a year now. The bowlers and the team leadership have been guilty of failing to put a short ball plan in action against Head.
Michael Clarke On Travis Head Short Ball Weakness
Michael Clarke, who won the 2015 World Cup as the Australian captain, discussed Deep’s comments and what they mean. In a recent appearance on the Around the Wicket podcast, Clarke had this to say about how India should not worry if Travis starts scoring quick runs, saying,
“The key for India is not to ball chase and look to get him out. If Travis Head scores 40 off 10 or 20 balls, I wouldn’t be too concerned if he is out. What you don’t want is Travis Head getting past 40-50 because he knows how to make big hundreds.”
On the same podcast, he also said that he understands why an Indian player would make such a statement, claiming that they are trying to get into the head of the 30-year-old.
“I don’t mind them coming out and saying that just to put it in Travis Head’s mind. The key to someone like Travis Head, he is playing smart cricket. He is coming in when the ball is not brand new and maximizing by saying ‘The better the bowling, the more aggressive I am going to be.’ He’s backing himself and is full of confidence playing his natural game,” said Clarke.
After three Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the series stands at 1-1. The fourth and fifth India vs Australia Test matches, to be played in Melbourne and Sydney, will not only decide the fate of this series but also mark the equation for the World Test Championship final, which will be played in June 2025.
The fourth Test of this series will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30, a Boxing Day Test.
Check Out: Michael Clarke On Travis Head Short Ball Weakness
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