Travis Head Says Terrific IPL Form Does Not Assure T20 World Cup Success

Australian opener Travis Head said his terrific form in the ongoing Indian Premier League is helping him maintain a good mindset ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, but it does not guarantee anything in the West Indies.

Head has been unstoppable for the Sunrisers Hyderabad this season, having scored a whopping 533 runs in 11 matches at an average of 53.30 and a strike rate of 201.89.

The 30-year-old scored an unbeaten 89 off only 30 balls for his team in Wednesday’s fixture at home, where they thrashed the Lucknow Super Giants by 10 wickets with 62 balls to spare.

The Aussie left-hander impressed the home crowd with eight sixes and eight fours, helping his side to a lightning-quick victory. They are third in the league standings.

Head’s explosive batting has kept him third among the highest run scorers in the tournament, just behind India’s former skipper Virat Kohli (542 runs) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (541).

“Whenever you’re playing, you want to be as consistent as you can, you want to be getting runs,” Head told reporters after Wednesday’s victory.

“It’s nice to be in the runs, it’s nice to be playing well [but] that’s not going to guarantee anything in the West Indies,” he added, referring to the T20 World Cup which will be held in the United States and the Caribbean.

“But it gives me the best chance of being in a really good mindset [and] working hard at training.”

Head, whose century helped Australia beat India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, expects turning tracks at the June 1-29 World Cup, unlike the flat tracks he is facing at the IPL on Indian soil.

“I think we’ll face a fair bit of spin in the Caribbean, and the wickets might become tougher as the tournament goes,” he said.

“So, I’m very pleased with how I was able to play spin tonight, and the things that I’m working on at training are somewhat working at the moment. But, I’m trying to stay relaxed, as I have done for the last couple of years, and be ready to go.”

Head said he is trying to maximize his performance during the powerplay and the batter proved that during Wednesday’s victory, where he and his partner, Abhishek Sharma, smashed 107 runs in the six-over period.

“The last 12 months being back in the Australian team, that’s how they’ve wanted me to play and I’m not trying to change anything, just trying to maximize that powerplay,” Head said.

“It’s not going to work all the time but I’m going to try to be as consistent as I can, give myself the best opportunity and hopefully do my part for the team.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain and Head’s Australian teammate Pat Cummins was in awe of his extraordinary display.

“It certainly doesn’t surprise me anymore,” Cummins said. “He’s been like this for the last few years. He might not be super-conventional but he’s got a great eye, hits the middle of the bat a lot and he’s having a wonderful tournament.”

Australia open their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5, before Group B fixtures against England, Namibia and Scotland.