Star Australian batsman Travis Head has poured cold water on any rumors suggesting a rift has developed in his team’s dressing room.
Concerns arose during the first Test against India after teammate Josh Hazlewood made some surprising comments to reporters after India took a 522-run lead at the end of the third day.
Hazlewood, who took five wickets in both innings, was asked his opinion on how Australia had planned to overcome the huge deficit, but instead told reporters: “They’ll have to ask the batsmen that question.”
“I’m relaxing and getting a bit of physiotherapy treatment and probably thinking mainly about the next Test and what plans we can make against these batsmen.”
Fox Cricket pundit Adam Gilchrist took note of the comments, saying: “That to me tells me there is a potentially divided dressing room.”
“I don’t know if that’s the case, I may be reading too much into that.”
Travis Head has poured cold water on explosive rumors that Australia has a ‘split’ in its camp.
It came after Josh Hazlewood’s revealing comments at the end of the third day of the first test.
Adam Gilchrist (left) claimed Hazlewood’s statement made it appear there was a “split” in the Australian dressing room.
Much furore was generated over whether a gap had appeared between Pat Cummins’ bowlers and batsmen, both of whom underperformed during the match.
Cummins, meanwhile, has criticized any notion that a rift is emerging in the dressing room and has since been backed by batting star Travis Head.
“I think (people) have taken a dig at it after a bad week, which is good,” said Head, who scored Australia’s second-highest innings run total (89). 7NEWS.
‘It’s okay to be critical, we understand that. We stuck together, had good conversations, definitely no factions.
“All the guys were together last night.”
Cummins added after the test that this Australian team was one of the most united groups he had ever played with.
“There are many occasions where batsmen have got us bowlers out of difficult situations and we have done the same,” he said.
“It’s probably one of the closest teams I’ve ever played with.” We really enjoyed playing cricket together. We’ve been through a lot over the last few years, the core group. So there are no problems. “Everyone gets along really well, so it’s all good.”
Pat Cummins, meanwhile, has denied any claims that fractions are starting to appear in his roster.
Australia were defeated by India, who won by a whopping 295 runs in Perth.
But Hazlewood’s comments, coupled with Australia’s disappointing form, sparked much speculation from several cricketing greats on Fox Sports.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan appeared to agree with Gilchrist, stating: “I must admit I’m amazed by that. Publicly I’ve never heard an Australian come out and divide the camp into batsmen and bowlers.
‘There are 11 batsmen, that will never change. Every player has to go out and hit.
‘I’ve been on a lot of teams and we understand it. When the batsmen do well and don’t get the wicket, you say, “Come on, bowlers.” And when the batsmen bat the way Australia does at the time, the bowlers say, “Come on, batsmen, give us a little more time.”
Ravi Shastri’s comments were perhaps the most scathing, with the Indian cricket great claiming that “mental cracks” had appeared in the Australian team.
“What the Indian dressing room will think when they hear something like that, we know there are cracks on the pitch but I feel there are also some mental cracks right now in the opposition,” he told Fox Cricket.
“Having been coming to Australia for 30 or 40 years, I think this is the first time that an Indian team has felt that, ‘You know what, we are better than the rivals in their backyard.’
Australia were defeated by 295 runs, after Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal produced centuries in the second innings, to take their tally to 487 for six.
After declaring on a score of 487-6, India welcomed Australia back to the crease, with Nathan McSweeney, Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne being dismissed for 12 runs in the final 45 minutes of play at the Optus Stadium in the third day.
Despite their best efforts, Australia could only make a dent in India’s mammoth score, with the hosts finishing the second day on 238-10.
Marnus Labuschagne is also in the spotlight after being dismissed on Sunday afternoon, scoring just five runs in both innings.
Head, however, wanted to reassure fans that Australia can turn things around in Adelaide next week.
“We played the pink ball well there and it looks like we’re going to have to do that,” Head added.
“There is nothing to hide behind that, we have to play better.”
“Nothing is guaranteed in this game, but if we work hard, there is no reason we can’t turn things around.”