Travis Head wants spicy tracks for Ashes, says flatter track doesn't suit him
Travis Head is eager for seam-friendly pitches in the upcoming Ashes series, saying such conditions bring out the best in his batting. With Australia’s Test surfaces becoming more bowler-friendly in recent years, the left-hander believes these challenges offer more opportunities to score freely, something that aligns with his natural game.
In the past four Australian summers, batting has become tougher, with top-order players averaging just over 30 runs per dismissal, which is a sharp decline from the 38 average recorded in the preceding four years. Yet, while many have struggled, Head has thrived. Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, he has averaged 54.64 at home, striking at nearly 89, and has notched six centuries. His attacking hundreds on challenging surfaces in Brisbane and Hobart during that series earned him the Player of the Series award.
“I probably enjoy batting on those sort of wickets. The flatter wickets, with the grind, that more so challenge technique, I think, over longer periods of time [trying] to eke out runs has never probably come as natural to me with being a stroke player and wanting to get on with it. And the slower, flat wickets probably don't tend to that. But fast-paced pitches that nip, you can maybe get away with a few things,” Head told.
Head added that his aggressive style suits conditions where bowlers attack with fuller lengths, creating chances to score. “And then obviously the way I want to play is if they present opportunities to score, you score. So when they're greener, they pitch up a little bit more and a bit fuller, and the style that I play, if they miss a little bit, I'm able to hopefully score and get busy.”
Steve Smith wants lively pitches for Ashes
While Head’s approach has flourished, other Australian batters have found the recent conditions more challenging. Steven Smith, for instance, has averaged 45.26 in home Tests across the last four seasons, down from 63.20 earlier in his career. Smith believes that if Australia continues to produce lively pitches, England’s batters will find it difficult to adjust.
“England play pretty well on the flatter wickets, the way they play. So, if there's a bit in it like there has been the last three or four years, with our bowling attack, it certainly makes things a lot more difficult for their batters,” Smith said.
