Head’s Fiery Century Rescues Australia After India’s Early Strikes

Australia staged a remarkable fightback on the second day of the Brisbane Test as Travis Head unleashed a stunning century, propelling the hosts to a commanding 234/3 by Tea. Head’s unbeaten 103, coupled with Steve Smith’s gritty 65*, put Australia in a position of strength after early blows from India’s bowlers.

The afternoon session belonged entirely to Head and Smith, who forged a 159-run stand after India’s early breakthroughs. With the ball already 43 overs old, the Australian duo capitalized on a worn seam, adding 54 runs in the first hour post-lunch. Despite Jasprit Bumrah’s threatening spell that tested both edges of Smith’s bat, the pair remained resilient.

Ninth Test ton for Travis Head and his second in this #AUSvIND series 🔥#WTC25 | 📝: https://t.co/KYHykss9xJ pic.twitter.com/w7Qs0d5aQh

— ICC (@ICC) December 15, 2024

Akash Deep, despite changing ends, couldn’t find the breakthrough as he repeatedly induced false responses from Smith but failed to catch the edge. Head, on the other hand, looked at ease, cruising past his third consecutive 50+ score in the series and reaching his century with flair.

India introduced Ravindra Jadeja in the 48th over, but with minimal spin on offer, Head comfortably drove him down the ground. Mohammed Siraj also attempted the short-ball strategy, but Head expertly pulled and ramped deliveries to the boundary, milking 30 runs from Siraj’s five-over spell.

𝖀𝖓𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖕𝖕𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊 💯

Take a bow, Travis Head!#WTC25 | #AUSvIND 📝: https://t.co/2NElbX9Qdj pic.twitter.com/J5zdg101RL

— ICC (@ICC) December 15, 2024

While Smith brought up his half-century off 128 balls, Head accelerated, reaching his hundred in just 44 additional deliveries. The session ended with India’s attack looking deflated and waiting for the second new ball to turn fortunes around.

Early Morning Dominance by India

Earlier in the day, India’s pacers made early inroads. Jasprit Bumrah dismantled Australia’s top order, dismissing Usman Khawaja with a classic fourth-stump delivery and sending Nathan McSweeney back with a seaming beauty. Bumrah’s dominance over Australia’s openers continued, with a series average of just 4.28 against them.

Marnus Labuschagne added a crucial 37 runs with Smith but fell victim to Nitish Reddy, edging an expansive drive to Virat Kohli at second slip. Smith survived close LBW calls and dug in despite the challenging conditions, setting up the rescue act alongside Head.