Travis Head in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty Images) Travis Head has never been one to obsess over cricketing conventions and on Sunday in Brisbane, the Australian left-hander summed up his approach with a line that immediately captured the mood of a team ready to challenge time-honoured Test traditions.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!“Pink ball, white ball, red ball – I won’t use another word… who cares anyway?” Head said with a smile. It was classic Head – carefree, blunt and perfectly timed as Australia consider how far they are willing to push the boundaries in Ashes day-night cricket.The 31-year-old’s remark comes as Australia seriously consider relaxing, if not abandoning, the rigidity of the traditional batting order ahead of the second Test at the Gabba. Head, whose fearless 83-ball 123 in Perth reignited the debate about his optimal position, is at the center of this reassessment.
Why Indian cricket needs Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli… more than ever
Captain Pat Cummins earlier called the batting order “overrated” and coach Andrew McDonald revealed the decision to send Head out as a makeshift opener in the Perth chase was the result of years of internal tactical debate about flexibility. Head fully agrees.“I think you could use this order and these players in a lot of different ways … in whatever way it takes to win cricket games,” he said. “We’ve seen it with the pink ball – double night watchmen, different ways of using players. Traditionalists will say that’s the way it should be, but that’s where the game is going.”Head believes the team has spent years preparing for this change in mindset. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve thrown out scenarios — how you get there, what personnel you need, the personalities in the lineup. I feel like I can play any role, so I’m open to openings. All options are on the table.”
Vote
Should Australia change traditional batting orders for a flexible approach?
Head spent Sunday night getting reacquainted with the pink ball under the lights as uncertainty lingers over Usman Khawaja’s back spasms. The Gabba, where Head has produced both brilliant and baffling collapses, could once again define his role.Whether he opens up or returns to the middle order, one thing is clear: Travis Head is fully committed to a future where Australia’s batting strategy is as fluid, adaptable and irreverent as the attitude he summed up in one memorable line.
