Travis Head destroyed whatever plans India had against him, not for the first time, as he ended up smashing his fourth century against the two-time WTC finalists in the last 18 months across formats. Head amassed 152 off just 160 balls as he ripped apart Indian bowling, especially Mohammed Siraj, Nitish Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja as he just got down to business pretty quickly and once he started smashing, it was no stopping him.
India first tried the top of off plan against Head. After it didn't work, they quickly changed it to the short-ball plan. That was changed quickly as well. India's impatience and lack of belief in their own plans cost them big time and former Australian cricketer Simon Katich wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade.
“That is unbelievable from Mohammad Siraj," quipped Katich on air for Channel 7 as Head played an upper cut on his bouncer towards the third man for a boundary.
“Because the over before he had a man right in that spot, and he’s run in and bowled what they were planning without the fielder there.
“That is dumb. Dumb cricket," Katich added.
Katich went on to explain what India were doing wrong as Head deflated the visitors like it was nobody's business. "They’ve got two men out on the leg side, they’ve got a deep point, they had a man right in that spot for this very planned Travis Head, and then he doesn’t have the fielder.
“And now he’s going to put the fielder back down there right now.
“Horses bolted, buddy," Katich added as Matthew Hayden in the commentary box acknowledged his former teammate's rant.
Katich was on point and summed up India's confused bowling plans to Head and Smith as the duo dictated the terms for most of the second day. Jasprit Bumrah was probably the outlier, as he has been all series, with others going for plenty. Smith and Head stitched a 241-run stand for the fourth wicket as Australia ended up scoring 405/7.
Siraj finally got a wicket, of Australian captain Pat Cummins before the end of the day's play as a consolation but it ended up being Australia's day as India aim to get the remaining three wickets quickly on the third day on Monday, December 16.
