The left-hander smashed a second consecutive century and the former Aussie skipper regained form, leaving India to toil on Day 2 of the 3rd Test
Brisbane: The Gabbatoir was once the most intimidating cricket venue in the world. The first Test of the Aussie home season was usually held here to set the pace for the tour. The wicket was quick, the crowd was rough and there was no more bellicose team in the world than Australia.
Australia’s Travis Head celebrates his century with Steve Smith during their 241-run partnership on Day 2 of the third Test against India at the Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday. Head hit 152 and Smith 101. (ICC- X)
It is located in the heart of the city, and as you walk to the stadium in the morning you are joined by so many others — all eager to make some noise, all eager to get stuck in and not quietly flow by like the Brisbane river. The stadium itself sits on Vulture street (the sign outside the Gabba reads ‘Vulture St. One way’) but the true feast only begins after Australia have battered the opposition on the field.
A venue, though, is only as intimidating as its team. And in the last few years, Australia has had a 50-50 record at Gabba, having won two and lost two since 2021. But on Sunday, that old feeling returned, the hum returned, to an extent as Travis Head (152 runs off 160 balls) and Steve Smith (101 off 190) lay into India in contrasting ways during a 241-run stand.
At close of play on Day 2, Australia had reached 405/7 with Alex Carey (45) and Mitchell Starc (7) at the crease.
This is a series being played in two parts — one, when India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is bowling and two, when Australia left-hander Travis Head is batting.
The first session got off to a stirring start thanks to Bumrah, who somehow just seems to know what is needed on a particular wicket. The Aussie openers were being watchful and sometimes against the genius pacer that is a counterproductive strategy.
He’ll work the batter over, until he finally gets them, and that is what he did with Usman Khawaja (21) and Nathan McSweeney (9) in a first spell that read 5-3-4-2. It was pressure of the kind that the Indian pacer seems to exert at the drop of a hat.
To be fair, in that first session, the others chipped in as well. Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj went past the edge many times but were just unable to find it. When Nitish Reddy finally got Marnus Labuschagne (12 off 55), Australia were doing the slow burn at 75/3 after 33.2 overs. Just a wee over two runs an over.
That then was the cue for Head to come in and do his thing. The left-hander has done it all series long and there really is no mystery to his method any more. He’ll come out, score quickly and put the opposition under the pump.
That India have no clear plan against Head is troubling to say the least. The runs started coming at a quick pace and it took the scoreboard pressure off a struggling Steve Smith too.
On Fox Cricket, former Australia opener David Warner wasn’t pleased with India’s set up for Head.
“I don’t understand the plan India have to try and get Head out,” Warner said. “They are making it too easy for him.”
There were a few plays and misses but between them there were plenty of middled shots as well. Head’s 50 came off 71 balls, the 100 off 115 balls and the 150 off 157, and with each milestone, India’s shoulders seemed to droop a little.
As the partnership between Smith and Head progressed, some of the earlier hesitation in the right-hander’s batting disappeared. He finally started playing a few shots and it looked as if India would be batted out of the match. Perhaps it has happened already.
Just as we saw in Adelaide, the period just before the second new ball was due was when Australia truly pressed down on the accelerator. From 234/3 in the 70th over, the score advanced to 297/3 in the 80th over.
“First of all, we can say he’s in pretty good form,” said India bowling coach Morne Morkel when he was asked about India’s performance. “Guys playing like that… in that fashion… back-to-back innings, we can only give that also a lot of credit, but I think for us with the ball, if you look at it from overs 50 to 80, even in the last game, at the moment that is where we sort of fall short, leaking a little bit, so that’s one area I think we need to get better at.”
But the new ball was the cue for Bumrah to conjure up a few wickets once again. One could visibly see that the day had taken a toll on the pacer but he willed himself to hustle in once again on a pitch that seemed to have flattened out nicely.
The first strike was to send Smith (101 off 190) back, and he followed it up with the wicket of Head. He looked beat but the joy and relief on his face when he claimed those wickets told you what a champion he is. His spell (6-1-21-3) late in the day showcased not just his skill but his heart as well.
However, on a pitch where the ball did quite a bit for a long time, Australia find themselves in a very good position. The forecast for Day 3 and Day 4 isn’t great but matches tend to move very quickly these days and India’s batters will have to put in a top effort to help their team fight their way back into this game.
