Travis Head has quickly become the star of the Australian summer.<\/p>\n
The swashbuckling South Australian has peeled off back-to-back Test tons against India to pull the series right back in Australia’s favour.<\/p>\n
Head crafted a superb 152 off 160 deliveries with 18 boundaries on Day 2 of the Brisbane Test at the Gabba, adding to his match-altering 140 in the second Test in his home city of Adelaide.<\/p>\n
The partnership of 241 runs (from 302 balls) with Steve Smith, who struck his 33rd Test ton, allowed Australia to compile 7\/405 by stumps on the second day of play.<\/p>\n
The way Head is going about his batting in the game’s longest format is not only capturing the imagination but reshaping it, according to Gerard Whateley.<\/p>\n
“Travis Head departs for 152 and again the crowd will rise to him,” Whateley said on the SEN Cricket broadcast when Head was dismissed.<\/p>\n
“What a brilliant innings to take complete control for Australia.<\/p>\n
“Splendid stroke-making, aggression and dare in everything that he’s done. It left an opponent pointless in trying to counter him.<\/p>\n
“He’s a cricketer that has reshaped the imagination, not just captured it.”<\/p>\n
Bharat Sundaresan was just as effusive in his praise for Head who is singlehandedly boosting the ratings when it comes to Test cricket in Australia.<\/p>\n
“The time in this country when people are questioning cricket’s standing,” Sundaresan said.<\/p>\n
“This is the player, this is the man who is taking cricket back to the top of the popularity ratings.<\/p>\n
“Who wouldn’t want to pay money to watch him bat whether it’s coming to the Gabba, the other stadiums or watching on TV.”<\/p>\n
Sundaresan added later on SEN Cricket’s Day 2 review: “We’re just getting used to this.<\/p>\n
“The description of Travis Head being a risk-taker and someone who takes chances needs to be redefined because this was a chanceless hundred.<\/p>\n
“This was someone in complete control of the opposition and India has no clues against Travis Head.”<\/p>\n
The century was Head’s ninth in Test match cricket and third from his last four Tests against India.<\/p>\n
Head’s 574 runs from his four recent hundreds (including against West Indies last summer) have come from a total of 609 deliveries.<\/p>\n
He has now struck 150 or more on five occasions in Test match cricket.<\/p>\n
The Gabba Test continues with Day 3 on Monday. Listen to all the action LIVE across the SEN network.<\/p>\n
BY SEN \/ ANDREW SLEVISON<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Travis Head has quickly become the star of the Australian summer. The swashbuckling South Australian has peeled off back-to-back Test tons against India to pull the series right back in Australia’s favour. Head crafted a superb 152 off 160 deliveries with 18 boundaries on Day 2 of the Brisbane Test at the Gabba, adding to […]<\/p>\n