"Needs To Learn How To Play Turning Ball": Ex-Australia Captain On Travis Head

Australian Test great Allan Border has urged middle-order batter Travis Head to look to legendary opener Matthew Hayden for inspiration and develop a gameplan to be used in subcontinent conditions during his side's tour to India, which will take place this year. This comes after the batter experienced some terrible outings in the Test series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. His failures in the subcontinent sit in contrast with a dominant Ashes campaign last summer, in which he scored 357 runs and emerged as the 'Player of the Series'. In his outings in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, he has scored only 91 runs at a poor average of 15.17 and the highest individual score of 26.

The Aussies are desperate to end their Test drought in India, having won only one series since 2004. In this context, Border opines that Head's strategy should undergo revision to thrive in spinning conditions. The former skipper has a great record in Asia himself, having scored 1,799 runs at an average of 54.51, with six centuries scored across India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

"He has got to sit down and work out a method better than it is going at the moment, that is for sure. I have talked to him a little bit about batting on spinning wickets," cricket.com.au quoted Border as saying.

"He has got to learn how to sweep, and sweep well. And he has got to use his feet - people do not seem to be prepared to go down the track, and defend even."

"There are just a few subtle little things. He is a very good player against anything other than the turning ball. That is the chink he has got to work on, but it is (play the) sweep shot, use your feet, get on the front foot, and when you are trying to defend, use nice soft hands."

"We are going to go to the subcontinent