Australian middle-order batter Travis Head has been in scintillating form during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. With centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane, he has emerged as a key player for Australia. However, his current success is a testament to his resilience and determination after being dropped during the 2020-21 home Test series against India.

Head's struggles in the Boxing Day Test against India in 2020 were well-documented. Dismissed for 38 and 17 while chasing wide deliveries, his place was sacrificed for debutant Will Pucovski in the next Test. Following Australia’s eight-wicket loss, Head faced criticism about his technique and suitability for Test cricket.

The setback didn't end there. Head lost his national contract and endured a tough stint with Sussex in county cricket. Reflecting on this period, Head shared Speaking to AAP : 

"I lost my (national) contract and then I went to Sussex and stunk it up there as well. I tried to keep batting the way I was batting and it wasn’t working. I was trying to still nurdle instead of just backing myself. Then in one of my last games at Sussex I got 49 off 46 in the second innings and I thought f**k this, I am just going to slog. And I did well, so I thought: ‘why don’t I just do that?’"

Head credits his revival to a shift in perspective, focusing on playing his natural, aggressive game rather than being overly cautious.

"I was worried about my technique back then. My theory was if I could stay out there long enough my aggressive approach would take over, and I would score runs by being there. Now I am like, don’t worry about getting out, if you can score score. And then if you can’t score, get in good positions to not get out. I’m more worried about runs now than anything else."

In the ongoing series against India, Head has amassed 409 runs at an astonishing average of 81.80. His 152 off 160 deliveries in Brisbane showcased his attacking approach, though rain denied Australia a victory.