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Australian opener Travis Head, known for his aggressive batting, had the slowest start of his One Day International (ODI) career during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against India at the Dubai International Stadium. On Tuesday, Head struggled to get going, managing only 1 run off his first 10 deliveries. This was a surprising statistic, considering his outstanding track record against India in all formats of the game.
A Challenging Start for Travis Head
The conditions in Dubai were vastly different from what Head is used to. The pitch was slow, favoring India’s spin-heavy attack. India had four spinners in their playing XI, making it clear that their strategy was to take advantage of the sluggish track. Given Head’s past dominance against India, many expected the Indian team to open their bowling attack with a spinner alongside Mohammed Shami to put early pressure on him. However, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma opted for a different approach, which did not sit well with former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh.
Harbhajan Singh Questions Rohit Sharma’s Tactics
Harbhajan Singh openly criticized Rohit’s decision to delay the introduction of a spinner against Head. He believed that India had missed an opportunity to get the Australian opener out early, allowing him to settle and later accelerate his innings.
“When you have Varun Chakaravarthy, why would you wait for nine overs to bring him on against Travis Head? What’s the point of having him then? The Indian team should have started with him at one end and Shami at the other. He got set, and then Varun was brought on. Those 39 runs could prove to be the difference,” Harbhajan said during the mid-inning show on Star Sports.
Head Recovers and Puts Pressure on Indian Bowlers
Despite his slow start, Head quickly found his rhythm. He took on Indian pacers Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami, scoring runs briskly to reach 30+ in no time. When India finally introduced spin in the powerplay, it was not Varun Chakaravarthy—India’s best spinner with the new ball—but Kuldeep Yadav who was given the responsibility. In his second over, Kuldeep was greeted with a powerful six straight down the ground by Head.
Once Head moved to 39 off 32 balls, Rohit Sharma brought in Chakaravarthy. The mystery spinner made an immediate impact, luring Head into a big shot. Playing Chakaravarthy for the first time in international cricket, Head mistimed his shot, sending the ball high into the air. Shubman Gill sprinted in from long-off to complete a safe catch, bringing an end to Head’s aggressive knock. India had their breakthrough, but not before Head had given Australia a strong start.
Shami Leads India’s Fightback
While Australia looked set for a big total, India’s bowlers, particularly Mohammed Shami, ensured that the Australian innings did not fully capitalize on their starts. Australian captain Steve Smith, who won the toss and opted to bat, played a crucial role in holding the innings together. Smith’s composed knock of 73 off 96 balls, featuring four boundaries and a six, was the backbone of Australia’s innings.
Smith was part of three key partnerships:
- A 52-run stand with Travis Head for the second wicket.
- A 56-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne for the third wicket.
- A 54-run alliance with Alex Carey, who played an attacking knock of 61 off 57 balls, including eight fours and a six.
However, Australia failed to build on these partnerships, as wickets fell at regular intervals. Had one or two of these partnerships been extended, Australia could have reached a much stronger total.
India’s Bowlers Restrict Australia
Mohammed Shami was the standout performer for India, finishing with impressive figures of 3/48. His crucial breakthroughs at different stages of the innings prevented Australia from gaining momentum. The spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja also played key roles, picking up two wickets each.
Australia’s innings eventually folded in 49.3 overs, setting a target that India hoped to chase down comfortably. Whether those early 39 runs from Head would indeed be the difference, as Harbhajan Singh warned, remained to be seen.
