Travis Head opening: Australia would be taking huge Ashes risk, claims England icon – sportingnews.com

Kieran Francis
Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison feels a permanent promotion for Travis Head up the Australian batting order could play havoc with team dynamics.
Head smashed a match-winning 123 off 83 balls in the first Ashes Test in Perth after being installed as an opening batsman following an injury to Usman Khawaja.
With Khawaja’s position as an opener in doubt, Head is being tipped to open the batting for Australia when the second Test starts in Brisbane on December 4.
Harmison – who bowled the famous wide delivery to open the 2005 Ashes series – believes Head’s style of batting in the order could throw out the mechanics built in recent Australian teams.
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“Travis Head deserves to stay at the top of the order but it’s a deceptively tricky call and Australia is putting a lot at risk,” Harmison started in a column for the Herald Sun.
He continued: “Australia has six different openers since David Warner retired and theres a sense they are snatching at it again.
“I don’t mind the push for Head to stay as opener but it’s a bigger gamble than it looks for it completely changes the dynamics and mentality of the side.
“For the last few years Australia has built an imposing record across the world on the back of a fairly steady top three then some fireworks down the order.
“Australia has said “we will play the long game, we will make your bowlers deliver more than 120 overs and bowl four or five spells.’’
“All that changes if Head goes up the order. The interesting thing is even though Australians don’t rate Bazball suddenly they would be playing it, particularly if Josh Inglis is called in down the list.”
Kieran Francis is a senior editor based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. His passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket — when he is not on holiday.

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