After his amazing match-winning performance against India in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Final, Australian opening batsman Travis Head has been the talk of the cricket world. Head began cautiously as Australia lost three quick wickets in pursuit of a tricky 241-run target and single-handedly turned the game into Aussie’s favour.
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The 29 year old put Indian spinners in a difficult situation. Travis Head scored 194 runs in partnership with Marnus Labschange while batting, and he went on to complete an important century. Australia was one shot away from winning their record-tying sixth ODI World Cup in 2023 after Head was out at 139.
However, is this knock enough for Head to land a spot in an IPL franchise? Let’s find out.
There are several reasons why Head may go unsold in PKL auction this year. When it comes to national duties, the Kangaroos drop everything. The T20 World Cup is approaching coming year. This might result in the halfway withdrawal of Aussie players from IPL. This might be one of the reasons why franchises wouldn’t want to pick Head.
The left hander played his last IPL in 2017 with Royal Challengers Bangalore, where his form wasn’t top notch. He was able to score 158 runs in the seven matches that he played with only one half century (75 runs). His T20i average is also below par. Head has scored 460 runs in 19 innings with the average of 28.75.
Another reason that might affect his selection in upcoming IPL is his inconsistent performance on the Asian pitches. Although the player did seemingly well in the ODI World Cup summit, he has struggled a lot on Asian pitches. He struggled mightily in his seven innings against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2022, managing just 26 runs, the lowest total he has ever scored against either team.
However, the upcoming Australia tour of India might decide the left-handed batter’s fate for the forthcoming mini auction. His performance in the 5 T20i matches can either boost or hinder his chances for his selection in IPL. The Australia tour of India is set to commence on 23rd November.
