Australia’s middle-order batter Travis Head once again proved to be India’s nemesis as he played a crucial 140-run knock on Day 2 of the Adelaide Test. His whirlwind innings helped the hosts take a significant 157-run lead in the second Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the biggest talking point came when he was dismissed by Mohammed Siraj’s yorker.
As soon as Siraj got the much-needed breakthrough for India, there was a war of words between him and Travis Head. The pacer’s send-off also didn’t please the Adelaide crowd and the Australian supporters were seen booing Siraj.
Travis Head has now opened up on what transpired between him and Siraj in the middle. The left-handed batter did not mince his words as he talked about how the Indian side is representing itself poorly by such acts.
“I said well bowled but he thought otherwise. When he pointed me towards the shed, he got a little bite back from me. Yeah, slightly disappointed with the way that transpired, with a couple of past innings but it is what it is. If they want to react like that, if that’s how they want to represent themselves then so be it,” Head told Fox Cricket after Stumps on Day 2.
Travis Head was asked about the exchange with Siraj in the post-stumps press conference as well. Answering the question, the batter said, “Not as heated as I would like it to be. I don’t want to give it much air time. With the way I play the game, I’d like a better reaction. I was surprised at the reaction in terms of the situation of the game and the lead-up and there was no confrontation leading up to it and I felt like it was probably, yeah, a little bit far at the time and that’s why I’m disappointed in the reaction that I gave back but I’m also going to stand up for myself.”
“I’d like to think in our team that we wouldn’t do that, it’s not how I’d like to play the game and I’d feel like my teammates are the same and if I’d seen that in those circumstances I’d probably call it out, which I did,” he added.
‘Tough wicket’
While speaking to Fox Cricket, Travis Head also stated that it is a tough wicket and he is glad to play a crucial innings for Australia to put the hosts in the driver’s seat.
“Nice to get a few runs. Batting has been going nicely for the last few weeks and it was good to get some runs. I took my chances, they bowled well, it was a tough wicket, and have put the guys in a good position,” said Travis Head.
“With the quality of quicks they have, got to take chances, with the field up I was going to take my chances. Played really well in some moments,” he added.
Speaking about his celebration upon reaching the three-figure mark, Travis Head said, “A newborn boy a couple of weeks ago, would have copped a bit of stick from the missus had I not done that for Harrison.”
Owing to Travis Head’s 140-run knock, Australia took a lead of 157 after being b bowled out for 337 in the first innings of the Adelaide Test. Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets each for India.
The visitors reached the score of 128/5 at Stumps on Day 2, still trailing by 29 runs. Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy are still at the crease for India.
