Travis Head confident of doing well in India series courtesy IPL experience

Australian batsman Travis Head is banking on his experience in Indian Premier League (IPL) to do well in the ODI series against India. Head played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise in the IPL. The 5-match ODI series between India and Australia is set to get underway on September 17 in Chennai.

Head played 7 matches for his franchise across the last two seasons of the IPL. He scored 151 runs in these matches and also bowled his part time off-spinners. Though he has not done well during his stint in the IPL, the 23-year-old is confident of adapting the conditions well in India.

“Personally, I have had a couple of IPLs and been over here. I haven’t played a great deal but have been around the conditions and have adapted to the style I guess. It’s not too dissimilar to how I play normally,” Head said during a press conference on Thursday. “And then it’s using the other guys, the guys who have played here a lot. Know the conditions really well and try to get a set game plan and get a feel as to how other guys go about it.For me personally, it’s not about trying too much,” he added.

Adapting to conditions could be vital

The 23-year-old batsman also felt that getting used to the conditions quickly could be the key to trump India in their own den.

“I think it’s just the conditions. Here’s a little bit slow and it spins a little bit more than what is it in ODI cricket in Australia. For me, it’s just about adapting really. I don’t change my game plan too much. I stay pretty relaxed and just play the conditions and what’s needed at that certain time of the game. So, I try to stay pretty open minded,” he added.

Australia dropped as many as 4 catches during their warm-up against Board President’s XI and Head too admitted that they were not good on the field. “Yeah, fielding could win you or lose you a game. The other day, we weren’t as good as we like to be,” he concluded. Australia’s stand-in coach David Saker has also put players under the radar for letting themselves down in the field and urged them to improve.