AUSTRALIA’S batsmen were dominated by Jasprit Bumrah in Perth, but Travis Head said they were looking forward to another round against the Indian spearhead, who he believes will be come to regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history.
Captaining India in place of Rohit Sharma, Bumrah took eight wickets to lead the tourists to a resounding 295-run win in the series-opener at Perth Stadium.
He could prove even more of a handful with the pink ball in the day-night Test starting in Adelaide Oval on Friday (6).
Head, who top-scored for Australia with 89 in the second innings in Perth before nicking off to Bumrah, said his batting teammates were working on different plans to handle the quick bowler.
“They are not coming to me for batting tips, that’s for sure,” he told reporters in Adelaide on Monday (2).
“Everyone goes about it in different ways. We’re all supporting each other.
“Jasprit’s going to go down as probably one of the greatest fast bowlers to play the game. I think we’re finding that at the moment, how challenging he can be, and it’s nice to play against that.
“It’s going to be nice to look back at your career and tell the grandkids that you faced him, so not a bad series to be playing with him.”
Head dismissed talk of a rift between the batters and bowlers in the Australian team, which was sparked by comments paceman Josh Hazlewood made as the hosts stared down the barrel of defeat in Perth.
Asked how Australia could turn things around against India, Hazlewood said: “You probably have to ask one of the batters that question.
“I’m sort of relaxing and trying to get a bit of physio and a bit of treatment, and I’m probably looking mostly towards the next Test and what plans we can do against these batters.”
Head, however, said there was no divide in the camp.
“This team’s been together for three to four years … the guys get along really well. We hold high expectations for both sides and it’s a very individualised sport.
“The batters want to hold our own. We know how good our bowlers have been for us in the past, and they’ve gotten us out of trouble a lot.”
Hazlewood was last Saturday (30) ruled out of the second Test, with seamers Sean Abbott and Brendon Doggett added to their squad.
The right-armer, who took five wickets in Perth, has what Cricket Australia (CA) described as “a low-grade left side injury”. “Hazlewood will remain with the group in Adelaide to prepare for the remainder of the series,” CA added.
While the uncapped Abbott and Doggett were drafted in, Hazelwood’s absence is likely to open the door for Scott Boland to play. The bowler, who was already part of the squad, played the last of his 10 Tests in July 2023 against England at Headingley.
There are also question marks around all-rounder Mitchell Marsh who, like Hazlewood, pulled up sore following the Perth loss. Beau Webster was last Thursday (28) called into the squad as cover for him.
