Published 19:44 IST, February 16th 2023
'Labuschagne not captaincy type': Ian Healy names Australia's future captain after Cummins
Ian Healy who played 119 Test matches for the Aussies, feels Travis Head should be an automatic choice as the player has had hands-on experience in captaincy.
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Australian wicketkeeping legend Ian Healy was recently asked to predict a future leader of Australian cricket and he revealed Travis Head is his preferred choice for the candidature of the future Australian captain. Due to Labuschagne's superior performance in the long format, the 28-year-old is considered to be in line to replace Pat Cummins but Healy completely dismissed the fact as according to him Head fits perfectly in the leadership mould. The second Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy starts on 17th February in Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Ian Healy revealed his preferred Australian for the captaincy role
Ian Healy who played 119 Test matches for the Aussies, feels Travis Head should be an automatic choice as the player has had hands-on experience in captaincy with South Australia for a pretty long time. “(He’s) a possible captain. Who’s our next captain? I don’t think Marnus is a captaincy type… and Travis Head is. He captained South Australia since he was 21 and we’re mucking him around at a time we need to be revving him up."
The former wicketkeeper also predicted Head could soon replace either of the Australian openers in Test cricket. “I think he’ll be our opener before long. He’ll replace one of Khawaja and Warner, whoever goes first. They might both go at the same time, and Travis Head will be our Australia opener."
Former Australian captain Allan Border also sounded disappointed as he didn't like the idea of Head dropping down to the bench in the first Test. “I thought he must have been crook or injured himself…. I just couldn’t believe that Travis Head could be left just on a win that he didn’t play very well in India last time or when they were in Sri Lanka.
“That’s maybe a case, but you’re allowed to improve, and Travis Head is one of those players that has improved and he showed that during the summer. He deserved the opportunity to play in that First Test match no doubt it about, I think they got that selection really wrong.
“I think we overthought some of the stuff, worrying about all little gremlins about the pitch… that’s what you expect when you go over there, they got the plans and the team wrong in the first game.”
19:45 IST, February 16th 2023