Travis Head spent a sleepless night on the eve of Australia’s Test against Bangladesh in Darwin. It wasn’t so much a specific threat in the opposition bowling attack or even the prospect of becoming the first Aussie batter to make a Test ton in every state and territory. What was keeping him up in bed instead had to do with the South Australian not having faced most of the Bangladeshi fast bowlers prior to this point. More specifically the fact that he didn’t have any specific cues as to their load-ups and other intricacies he looks for while mentally preparing himself before a Test.
Head’s solution therefore was to time his customary lap around the ground before play on the opening day of the Test with when the Bangladeshi fast bowlers were going through their warm-ups. To ensure that he got a crash-course on their bowling actions and release points.
The 32-year-old was at it again a few days ago in Potchefstroom as Australia took on a South African Invitational XI whose bowlers were largely unknown. It didn’t matter that this was a largely inconsequential warm-up game without any stakes. Nor that this was a bowling attack that held zero challenges to one of the most destructive batters in the world.
It still had to be done. For, that’s clearly the extent to which Head commits to the measured methods behind the madness that is otherwise associated with his batting. Along with the precision that comes with the ticking of each box before he feels settled.A rather massive contrast to the perception around Travis Head being this maverick batter who simply shows up for a good time and gives it a whack like only he can. One that still amuses the left-handed opener even if it doesn’t really bother him.
“When you listen to how people talk and interpret how I go about things, it’s the polar opposite to what I really do, which does make me laugh,” he tells Cricbuzz with a chuckle.
“Sometimes a bit of a myth stuff is a good thing. It keeps everyone on their toes. So, it works for me.”
“I still think about batting a lot. I want to be as consistent as I can with how I go about my preparation. I feel like I ask questions to a lot of people. I need reinforcement. It probably doesn’t look like that from the outside,” he adds.
The myth-busting from Head when it comes to his batting also extends to his approach in the middle. Especially with regards to how he perceives risk-taking and the external belief that he always prefers to be a high-stakes gambler with the decisions he takes with bat in hand across formats.
“I’m always thinking about risk and reward. When I calculate them, they may look high risk, but for me, that’s the lowest to score runs. I try to take the risk out. Even playing one-day cricket, something like hitting the ball in the air or hitting over someone, it’s still calculated.
“I think the risk is still in my favour, not the bowler’s favour. I always try to think about that. It may look like that for those watching. That’s funny too. Everyone just interprets things in different ways.”
The more you hear Head talk about how he then does go about getting himself primed and
ready
for a Test series, the more you realise how most of it is in his mental preparation. Starting with even how he goes about analysing his own performances in the lead-up. Head got himself a breezy 22 off 21 balls in Potchefstroom over the weekend. And while he does admit that a bit of a longer stay would have been a better result, he’s not too fussed about how it played out, considering the lack of competitive jeopardy involved with the contest.
“I think someone joked on Sunday (when Australia batted), by asking ‘are you going to get after them today?’ And my joke was, no, I’ll get after them on Friday. Today’s not my day. I want to watch the NRL grand final,” he says, “Of course, I’m pretty disappointed to not have more time in the crease, but 20-odd balls I faced, I found the middle of that, felt good, and that’s all I’m looking for.”
There’s also a slight difference with how he’s gone about the lead-up to the first Test in Durban because of having been in the country for a couple of weeks already with the ODIs. Not to forget the three 50-over matches in Zimbabwe that kicked off this African campaign for the Australians.
