Travis Head breaks own record for fastest-ever century in day-night Tests, leaves India clueless
Travis Head broke his own record for the fastest centuiry in day-night Tests by hiting a 111-balls century against India in Adelaide.
Travis Head continued on his rich vein of form against India by smashing the fastest century ever in a day-night Test.
The Australian left-hander broke his own record by reaching the three figures off just 111 balls on Day 2 of the second Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
The previous record for the fastest century in a pink ball Test also belonged to Head when he scored a 112-ball century against England in Hobart in 2022. Interestingly, all three fastest pink-ball Test centuries now belong to Head.
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He also has a 125-ball century against the West Indies in 2022 in a day-night Test in Adelaide. This was also Head's third Test century at the Adelaide Oval.
Coming in to bat after the fall of Steve Smith's wicket in the first session of Day 2, Head played his natural attacking game to unsettle the Indian pacers.
He was cautious against Jasprit Bumrah, giving him the due respect that he commands - Bumrah also beat him on a couple of occasions - but was severe against the other Indian bowlers, particularly youngster Harshit Rana.
Fastest 100s in day-night Tests (balls faced)
Travis Head (Aus flag) (111 balls) vs Ind Adelaide 2024 (bold)
Travis Head (112 balls) vs Eng Hobart 2022
Travis Head (125) vs WI Adelaide 2022
Joe Root (Eng flag) (139 balls) v WI Edgbaston 2017
Asad Shafiq (Pak flag) (140 balls) v Aus Brisbane 2016
Head got some luck when he was on 78. He got a couple of reprieves at the same score. First off the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin, when he top-edged a slog sweep and Mohammed Siraj grasped a difficult chance despite putting in a good effort running backwards from mid-on.
In the very next over bowled by Harshit Rana, Head flashed at one outside the off stump and got an outside edge but it went between keeper Rishabh Pant and second slip Rohit Sharma.
India did not have the first slip in place and Pant didn't even go for the catch.
Once he entered, he got past those two hiccups; there was no stopping Head. The attacking left-hander then hit three boundaries off Rana's next five balls and completed his century with a single off Ashwin.
He took his helmet off, made the cradle gesture for his newborn son and waved at his wife and daughter in the stands.
Head's blistering century, scored at close to a run-a-ball, took Australia past the 300-run mark and, more importantly, set them up for a massive first innings lead.
India were bowled out for 180 in their first innings after winning the series opener in Perth by 295 runs.
