Travis Head brings the strokes and the style to the WTC final

Australia found themselves in a spot of bother at the World Test Championship (WTC) final when Travis Head walked out to the middle. The pitch was offering the Indian pacers some assistance and stroke-making, until that point, had not been very easy.

Steve Smith had set out his stall at the other end, but if Head didn't find his feet quickly, Australia ran the risk of undoing the good work they did in the first session.

The first ball the left-hander faced was left alone comfortably. The fourth ball he faced, though, jagged past his outside edge. It did not deviate profusely but was enough to force a new batter into a rejig of his mindset.

Head, for context, is a batter who likes throwing caution to the wind. The only time he thinks of defending is when there are no scoring opportunities left. In fact, he has been striking at more than 80 since the start of 2021 and has also averaged more than 55.

During this phase, only Ben Duckett and Harry Brook (minimum 500 runs) have scored at a quicker tempo than the Australian middle-order batter in Test cricket. In terms of average, Head has the ninth-best tally.

The numbers, thus, suggest that the left-hander is a batter Australia would have wanted at the crease at that stage.

However, the downside to such an aggressive brand of batting is that one misstep and it could all come crashing down. Add to that the occasion – of this being the first-ever WTC final Australia have reached – and this approach seems fraught with danger.

For Head, though, all of this is immaterial. This is how he has batted in the past couple of years. And as it becomes clear through the rest of the day, this is what has fetched him enormous success too.

Travis Head scored a sensational hundred in the WTC final

Against India, he could have easily retreated into his shell. But he did not. There was a phase where the Men In Blue targeted his rib cage and made things uncomfortable for him. What shone through, though, was how uncluttered his mindset was, before and after that barrage.

If it was in his hitting zone, it was punished. Even if it was remotely wide, he threw his hands at it. He peppered the region over the slip cordon and that, in particular, decreased India’s margin for error significantly.

The other impressive aspect of his innings was how he took the pressure off Steve Smith. After the day’s play, Head was quite complimentary of his batting partner, saying that with Smith around, it was easier for him to slip under the radar.

That may be true on most occasions because Smith is perhaps the greatest Test batter our generation has seen. On Wednesday, though, it was Smith who flew under the radar as his partner put the Indian bowlers to the sword.

And if anyone is allowing the former Australia captain to slip in, that should tell you all you need to know.

The best part is this is not the first time he has done something of this kind, and it could be argued that Head is one of the primary reasons why Australia find themselves in the WTC final.

Last summer, on a spicy track in Brisbane against South Africa, he produced a 96-ball 92 – only one other batter scored more than 50 in that game. A year earlier, England met a similar fate at the same venue, with Head racing away to 152 off 148 balls. There were a couple of belligerent knocks against the West Indies as well.

So, this is how he bats, come rain or shine. That he had the gumption to pull off an innings of this ilk, with so much at stake – only makes it even more special.

Head, in many ways, embraces this brave new world of Test cricket – a world where the best form of defense is attack, and one where backing yourself to play strokes rather than sitting back and risking being caught in the crossfire - is the way to go.

When Australia lost their third wicket in the WTC final, both Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj had their tails up. India were sensing an opportunity, and Australia were nervously looking over their shoulders, wondering whether they had left the door ajar for the Men In Blue to barge through.

Head, though, slammed that door shut – all while playing a brand of cricket that he has made his own these past couple of years. And by virtue of this knock, he has only proved just how vital he is to Australia and how irreplaceable he is.

To be courageous, cavalier, bring out his entire repertoire of strokes and also resonate calmness is a skill set not many possess. Head does. It brought Australia to the WTC final. And if they end up winning it, he’d have played an instrumental role in that too!