This was a red-letter day for Adelaide-born Head as he scored a surprising century in entrance of a packed crowd on acquainted territory.
It was a buccaneering innings filled with trademark pictures sq. of the wicket as he reduce, dabbed, pulled and effortlessly flicked his solution to three figures.
In reality 113 of his runs got here both aspect of the stumps as India’s bowlers fed two of his strongest scoring areas.
There have been, nevertheless, occasional moments of fine fortune throughout a knock which was utterly out of kilter with the best way most of Australia’s gamers have approached this match.
Head smashed Ravichandran Ashwin for a towering six straight down the bottom within the 68th over, then tried to do it once more subsequent ball however hit it skywards, just for Siraj to shell a diving catch.
He was on 76 on the time and Australia’s place on this Take a look at match may not look so rosy had that probability been held.
It’s considered one of Head’s strongest qualities, although, that such moments don’t faze him, and he continued in a cavalier vein for the rest of his time on the crease.
He introduced up his century with a nudge into the leg-side off Siraj, reaching the milestone off 111 deliveries, celebrating by rocking his bat in a nod to his new child son earlier than saluting the group.
There may be actually one thing about batting on residence turf which appeals to the South Australian. He has scored 634 runs in 9 Take a look at innings on the Adelaide Oval, with three centuries.
At 79.25 that’s practically double his profession Take a look at common of 41.96.
The 30-year-old whipped Siraj stylishly off his legs for six to succeed in 140 off as many deliveries, earlier than he was lastly undone a ball later when the India seamer yorked him.
There was then a terse verbal change with Siraj who, fairly bizarrely given India’s predicament, opted to present Head a send-off. The Aussie batter lingered for a second, giving nearly as good as he bought earlier than strolling off.
