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Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel discussed the strategy devised to counter Australian batter Travis Head during the second day of the ongoing Brisbane Test at the Gabba on Sunday.
Head delivered a masterclass innings, scoring 152 runs off 160 balls, which included 18 boundaries. The left-hander achieved this at an impressive strike rate of 95. "Our plan for Travis in this game was to bowl over the wicket and target a straight line. We felt he handled it well in Adelaide when we bowled around the wicket. However, as an individual bowler, you have to play to your strengths. Fortunately, there was some bounce throughout the day, but the margins for error against him were incredibly small. Once he gets set, slowing down his scoring rate becomes crucial because he plays aggressively. The best way to regain some control in the game was after over 50, when the ball softened, though that's a phase we are struggling with at the moment and need to improve," Morkel said during the post-day press conference. Head's phenomenal knock made him the first batter to score both a King Pair and a century at the same venue in the same calendar year. His dominance against India is underscored by the remarkable stats he has accumulated. The 30-year-old's flawless 152 pushed his total past 1,000 Test runs against India. In 13 Tests and 22 innings, Head has amassed 1,107 runs at an average of 52.71, with three centuries and four fifties. Across all formats, in 30 matches against India, Head has scored 1,707 runs at an average of 47.41, including four centuries and six fifties. Head's performances against India have been nothing short of sensational. He has scored centuries in the ICC World Test Championship final, the ICC Cricket World Cup final 2023, and the series-levelling pink-ball Test in Adelaide, underlining his knack for delivering in high-pressure matches. In his last 11 innings against India, starting from the WTC final to this Test, Head has scored 880 runs at an average of 80, including four centuries and two fifties, with a top score of 163. As for the ongoing match, India won the toss and chose to bowl first. After going wicketless for 13 overs on day one, India returned on day two with renewed energy, dismissing Usman Khawaja (21 off 54 balls, three fours), Nathan McSweeney (9), and Marnus Labuschagne (12) to reduce Australia to 75/3. However, a massive 241-run partnership between Steve Smith (101 off 190 balls, 12 fours) and Head (152 off 160 balls, 18 fours) posed significant challenges for India. Jasprit Bumrah (5/72) eventually broke the stand, leading to a flurry of wickets, but Australia ended the day in a strong position at 405/7, with Alex Carey (45*) and Mitchell Starc (7*) unbeaten. (ANI)
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