Last Updated on 3 weeks by Charbel Coorey

“How can we get Travis Head out?” is surely one of the top questions asked in India at the moment. After centuries in the World Test Championship and World Cup Finals in 2023, Head has been India’s nemesis again, hitting two centuries in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT).

Head and Jasprit Bumrah have been the standout players in the opening three Tests. Bumrah is comfortably the leading wicket-taker (21) and has left the Australian top order with nightmares, but Head has seemingly been batting on a different planet.

Australia’s number five has slammed 409 runs at an average of 81.80 and strike rate of 94.23. Australia’s next-highest scorer is Alex Carey with 162 at 40.50. The rest have found the going very difficult, with Steve Smith’s Gabba hundred a bright spot.

Head above the rest: Australia’s run-scoring in the first three Tests of the BGT

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke shares tips on how to get Travis Head out

Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Michael Clarke said India are getting their tactics wrong. The former Australian captain said the visitors are too defensive, focused on keeping the runs in check rather than actively trying to get Travis Head out.

“At the moment I feel like India are chasing the ball a little bit with Travis Head,” Clarke said. “I think if I’m bowling to Travis Head, I’m being as aggressive as I can early when he first comes to the crease. I’m attacking the stumps. Because of the way he plays, [he] tries to drive balls that are not there at the start of the innings, plays and misses balls.”

Clarke mentioned the importance of bowling at the stumps to Travis Head. Given he can play and miss early, it brings about more modes of dismissal, with Harshit Rana’s wicket of Head at Perth the template.

“A lot of people are like bowl outside off stump; hang it outside off stump, he’s going to nick one,” Clarke continued. “If you do that, you’re taking out LBW, you’re taking out bowled, and you’re probably bringing in caught in the slips or if he can hit one to cover or something like that.

“I would be attacking the stumps. Even go around the wicket and try and get him bowled, LB or nicking one that he’s trying to block. Straight at the pegs. He [Harshit Rana] may have bowled him out in the first Test in Perth like that. Around the wicket, good length, good line, say to Travis Head if you want to play shots, go for your life, we’ve got fielders in position for the one you edge or the one you mistime. If you get one in the middle and it goes in the gap, congratulations.”

Clarke also went on to say India shouldn’t worry too much about the runs. Getting Travis Head out early before he does too much damage – especially given Australia’s top order struggles – can be crucial to helping India win the series.

“The other thing I wouldn’t be doing to someone like Travis Head is caring about runs,” said Clarke. “I’m not setting a field to protect runs. He’s going to play that way, he’s going to hit fours, he’s going to hit sixes. I don’t care about that. He can get 40 off 20 balls if he’s out. I don’t want him making 140.

“So I’d be thinking ‘how am I getting Travis Head out?’ rather than ‘how am I saving runs?’ At the moment I feel India are looking to put men on the boundary to prevent runs… I’d be attacking the stumps, especially with someone like Bumrah who’s very good around the wicket.”

Australia’s top order worries have prompted them to make a change. Nathan McSweeney was dropped in favour of 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who will look to be as proactive as possible up top. Of course, that is easier said than done against a world class performer in Bumrah, which makes for another fascinating narrative with the series on the line.

The fourth Test kicks off on Boxing Day in scorching hot Melbourne weather. However, unlike the Gabba, rain delays are expected to be at a minimum.