Former India cricketer and batting coach Sanjay Bangar has suggested a plan to dismiss India’s chief tormentor Travis Head in the upcoming fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne. Notably, Head has been the thorn in India’s flesh since 2023, and has also continued his form in the ongoing series as well.
The southpaw is the highest run scorer of the series so far with 409 runs from three matches at an average of 81.80 with two hundreds and one fifty to his name. India have struggled massively to get rid of Head as Australia batter has been successful in taking the game away from them with his aggressive stroke play.
Ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne, Sanjay Bangar has suggested bowling in the corridor of uncertainty from around the wicket to the swashbuckling batter at the start of his innings.
“At the start of the innings, go around the wicket and bowl in the corridor. If it proves successful in the first 10-15 balls, stick to that plan. Plan A is to come around the wicket and make him play at off stump. If there’s no success, shift to over the wicket with more fielders on the on-side and a deep third man,” Bangar advised on Star Sports.
Further speaking ahead, the former India batting coach said that India need to force him into doing something different and put catching men in the deep.
“By sticking to the middle-stump line, you force him to do something different. Against the short ball, his bat always comes into play, making deep third man, deep fine leg, and deep square leg potential catching positions. This approach dries up his scoring opportunities and creates pressure. India needs to persist with this plan and have patience to neutralize the Travis Head threat,” he added.
Head has frustrated India since the World Test Championship final 2023 as his 163 helped Australia clinch the title with a massive 209-run win. The southpaw further scored a magnificent 137 in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 helping Australia win by six wickets. Head’s love-affair with India has also continued in the ongoing series as well, with back-to-back centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane. Hence, India are desperate to end his golden run against them, which will also help them win the series which is currently tied at 1-1.
