File image of R Ashwin.© AFP
Travis Head has been a bane for India on many occasions by now, and getting him out cheaply will be crucial for India’s hopes of winning the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Head has already smashed two centuries (152 and 140 respectively) in the second and third Tests, tormenting the Indian bowlers at will, and also adapting to his weaknesses. In a video shared on social media showing the left-hander batting in the nets, Head seems to be working on his weak areas again, and the recently-retired Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out exactly that.
In the video, Head can be seen coming across his stumps to hit the deliveries thrown at him. This could be a ploy to negate Head’s vulnerability with balls bowled from round the wicket towards his off stump area.
So far in the series, Head has succumbed to deliveries from round the wicket, with both Harshit Rana and Jasprit Bumrah managing to get him out this way.
Omg ! He is getting to the off stump? Is that the ploy for round the stumps?
— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) December 25, 2024
Ashwin was quick to guess what Head is trying to practice.
“Omg (Oh my God)! Is he getting to the off stump? Is that the ploy for round the stumps?” Ashwin replied to the video.
Head is by far the top run-scorer of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25. He has amassed 409 runs in just three Tests, and is 174 runs ahead of the next highest run-scorer, KL Rahul.
The left-hander has shown supreme ability to get around his weaknesses, dealing with vulnerabilities outside the off-stump and short-pitched bowling expertly during the third Test, en route to 152.
Meanwhile, Ashwin’s response showed that he is clearly following the action despite calling time on his international career midway through the series. Ashwin, who played the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, retired from international cricket after the third Test, with 537 Test wickets to his name.
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