HOME TEST: HEAD LIKELY TO LINE UP IN HIS OWN BACK YARD
TRAVIS Head will turn to the son of former Australian coach Tim Nielsen for the inside word on Indian tweaker Ravi Ashwin.
But he won’t be jumping at shadows entering his maiden Adelaide Test.
Test great Ian Chappell believes Victoria’s Peter Handscomb should be selected ahead of Head to negate off-spinner Ashwin’s hold over left-handers, but it’s business as usual for the South Australian skipper.
“You’re always on your toes playing for Australia, you have got to be performing,” Head said.
“There’s a lot spots on offer and there’s a lot of guys competing for them.
“I think it makes for a strong Australian cricket team, so it’s exciting to be in that group of players vying for that spot. I will get through training and prepare to play, perform, to win games.”
Head noted how his state teammate Harry Nielsen — apprentice to Australian one-day keeper-batsman Alex Carey — ground down Ashwin in Sydney with a fighting ton. India languished for 151.1 overs in the field during its tour match. Ashwin conceded 2-122 off 40 overs, consistent with his bowling average of 54 over six Tests in Australia.
“I have played him a couple of times in the IPL. Harry played well against him. So, when he gets home off the plane, I’ll have a word to him,” Head said.
“He’s a world-class bowler, but I think we’ve got some worldclass batters as well. So I think it’ll be a good contest.”
Ashwin averages a Test wicket every 19.93 runs against lefthanders, but Australian coach Justin Langer said Head was a lock for Adelaide.
Axing Head, 24, after a matchsaving 132-run stand with Usman Khawaja in Dubai against Pakistan would send the wrong signals to a rebuilding side.
“I want to have that experience of playing in Adelaide. I’m pretty lucky and fortunate that the first one [Test] is in Adelaide,” Head said.
“Hopefully I get a go. There’s nothing better than playing in your home town and with home support. A Test match in Australia is about embracing it, enjoying it and there is no better place to start.”
Head is more concerned how his mates from Gawler — an hour north of Adelaide — will get to the city on Thursday, given the city’s cancelled train services.
“The might have to carpool, camp out and stay here for the whole week,” he said.
However, Head conceded missing out on a first-class ton entering the Border-Gavaskar series was a loose end he had wanted to tie up.
Head was in supreme touch with 87 against Western Australia last month and made 49 on a Hobart greentop against Tasmania last week.