Travis Head’s 146 not out against India in WTC final changes the game for Australia

Travis Head’s century puts Australia on top in World Test Championship Final

Australia has taken the lead on the first day of the much-awaited World Test Championship Final against India, thanks to a brilliant batting performance by Travis Head. The left-handed batsman scored a fluent 146* and, along with Steve Smith, took the Aussies to 327-3 at the end of Day 1. The pair shared a massive 251-run partnership that rescued Australia from a shaky start. Head’s innings was a combination of aggression, control, and pure class as he dominated the Indian attack throughout the day.

India‘s bowling attack comes out strong

After winning the toss, India decided to bowl first, and their bowling attack lived up to the expectations early on. They had Australia‘s top-order batsmen Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne back in the pavilion with just 76 runs on the board. Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami were especially impressive, consistently hitting the right areas and extracting enough movement to trouble the Aussie batsmen.

The Head and Smith partnership

Travis Head, however, was up to the challenge and played a crucial innings to rescue Australia from a precarious position. He looked in great touch from the start and was quick to punish any loose deliveries. When Steve Smith joined in, the duo made sure India didn’t get any more wickets on Day 1. Smith backed up Head brilliantly and played the perfect foil as he played out the tough periods and also hit some delightful shots himself. Their partnership will now be the key to Australia‘s chances of putting up a sizeable first innings score.

Australia on top

Australia‘s total of 327-3 at the end of Day 1 puts them in a strong position. While India‘s bowling attack was impressive early on, they were unable to get the breakthroughs required to push Australia on the back foot. Their fielding also let them down at times, with a few half-chances going begging. Nevertheless, India will still believe that they can come back strong on Day 2 and keep Australia‘s total within reach.

Conclusion

The World Test Championship Final has lived up to the hype so far, with Travis Head’s century the highlight of Day 1. Both teams put up a strong fight, and at the end of the day, Australia has the upper hand. For India to come back, their bowlers will need to step up on Day 2 and get some quick wickets. Meanwhile, Australia will hope that Head and Smith can continue their partnership for a long time and put up a mammoth total on the board. With four more days of action left, this match has the potential to be a classic.