The Australian selectors might face a scorching examination after a daring name to drop Travis Head backfired in Nagpur because the guests had been rolled for 177 on day one.
Head, who averages 45.23 in 33 Tests, was reportedly omitted of the line-up over fears the doctored pitch would favour right-handed batsmen.
Victorian Peter Handscomb, an excellent participant of spin, was handed his first sport since 2017 with the South Australian left-hander left on the pine.
But it didn’t take lengthy for followers and specialists alike to level out that regardless of Head’s atrocious abroad file, averaging 21.69 in 15 innings, he has been a revelation for Australia within the final 18 months.
“Hard to believe we can drop the number 4 ranked batsman in the world and probably our best batsman in the last 12 months, plus he bowls better than average off spin – let’s wait and see – maybe the Aussie selectors are genius’s,” former Test captain Steve Waugh wrote on social media.
Former Aussie opener Matthew Hayden, who’s commentating the sequence as a part of the BCCI commentary crew, was equally perplexed.
“I can’t believe it,” Hayden stated.
“Mark Waugh actually was right next to him, and nor could Travis Head in that brief conversation.
“To me, he was the player of the summer. Totally different conditions I know in Brisbane, but his 90 there was just so damn good. He made it look like it was flat, and it wasn’t. It was an absolute raging green top. But his mindset and his ability to be able to score quickly, and he’s a good player of spin as well, just speechless.”
Head made 92 from 96 on a inexperienced monster on the Gabba within the sequence towards South Africa, which finally proved an important knock of the summer time.
The calls strengthened as fellow left-hander Matthew Renshaw was eliminated for a golden duck after stepping down the pitch, in entrance of center, and being struck within the pad.
It was a poor day for the Australian batsman after the worst potential begin.
Usman Khawaja and David Warner had been each eliminated inside 4 overs, with Warner seeing his off-stump cartwheel, earlier than Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith steadied.
They made an 80-run partnership earlier than Labuschagne was undone by excellent planning and execution from Ravindra Jadeja, out stumped on 49.
Renshaw fell subsequent ball earlier than Handscomb noticed off the hattrick ball.
Jadeja slipped an arm ball by Smith on 37 leaving the guests in large hassle.
Alex Carey counter-punched earlier than overdoing it and being bowled for 36 from 33.
Handscomb was left to try to handle the lengthy tail, nevertheless it proved an excessive amount of as he was eliminated LBW for 31.
Jadeja accomplished his five-wicket haul earlier than Ravi Ashwin bowled Scott Boland to bundle the Aussies out.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
