'Very smart, has improved immensely': Ravi Shastri showers praise on Aussie batter Travis Head
Dec 21, 2024
Melbourne [Australia], December 21 : Ahead of the Boxing Day Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former cricketer Ravi Shastri heaped praise on Australia batter Travis Head and called him a "smart" player who has "improved" immensely.
In three matches of the ongoing BGT series between India and Australia, Head has scored 409 runs in five innings at an average of 81.80, with a strike rate of above 94. He has made two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 152. Currently, Head is the top-run-getter in the series.
Speaking on the most recent episode of The ICC Review, Shastri lauded Head's shot selections and the way he plays the short ball.
"I think he is very smart. From what I saw of him three years ago, he has improved immensely. Especially with the way he plays the short ball. He prepared to leave it. He has learned to leave it well at times," Shastri was quoted by ICC as saying.
Shastri said Head's ability to judge the delivery's line and length quickly and the choice of shot to go with that has helped him immensely.
"It's not a big shot all the time off a short delivery angled at his armpits or something. He's prepared to either ride it or go for the big shots. And if it is middle, middle and off, then he hits it in front of square as well. He picks up length very well. That's one of his great strengths. And he has a flashing blade for the offside. So he's a hard man to contain. And he's in the form of his life," he added.
Australia has made a couple of changes to its squad, addressing the absence of Josh Hazlewood and concerns in the top order. Sam Konstas has replaced Nathan McSweeney for the fourth Test and Scott Bolan is likely to replace injured Hazlewood.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Australia Squad: Pat Cummins (C), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (VC), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (VC), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
