New Delhi
India are under threat from Travis Head ahead of the Boxing Day Test starting on December 26 in Melbourne. Sanjay Bangar and Cheteshwar Pujara have advised the visiting team on how to stop the left-handed batsman from scoring big runs. Despite being out for just 11 runs in his first innings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Head has scored 89, 140 and 152 in his next three innings. The innings of 140 runs played an important role in helping Australia win by ten wickets at its home ground Adelaide Oval. Head had earlier led Australia to title victory by scoring centuries against India in the 2023 World Test Championship final and ODI World Cup final. Former India batting coach Bangar asked India to try round-the-wicket bowling angles when Head was fresh at the crease.
“If he is successful in the first 15-20 balls, Plan A is that you come from round the wicket, place it on the fourth stump or off stump. If you don’t succeed in this, immediately go over the wicket, and take the other fielder on-side, and take deep third man. “You have to bowl the line to the middle stump as well, you have to bowl it consistently so that he does something different. You will also have to bowl short balls in between. If you do all these things, you will force her both ways. “First of all, he will not get easy runs. If you don’t get an easy run, he will try something different. Then against the short ball, his batting continues. So, if there is a deep third man, this becomes the catching position. Take a deep square and a deep fine leg. Hence, three fielders are in catching position.
“By then, you have scored runs,” Bangar said in a Star Sports video posted on ‘X’. The Indian team will have to stick to this plan for a long time. If you mesh with that plan, and have a little patience, Travis Head might have less of a headache.” Veteran Indian batsman Pujara, who has been a member of India’s 2-1 Test series win in Australia, called on bowlers to keep a tight line while bowling to the head.
“The line becomes very important. Keep the line on middle and leg stump. Even if you are playing round the stumps, the line of scrimmage should be in the middle of the stumps. When there is a line, it looks very uncomfortable. Also for the short ball, you need a fielder. He said, “Now it is a variation game, so you do not have to bowl every ball as a short delivery. You have to bowl most of the balls on the stumps, while one short ball has to be bowled on the middle. If this strategy is adopted, the chances of success are higher.”
