Justin Langer’s faith in rising star Travis Head proves value in gutsy knock, writes Robert Craddock

Justin Langer ignored Travis Head’s patchy form in the lead-up to the first Test — and was rewarded with a gutsy knock which highlights the extraordinary value of a coach’s bond with his players.

Travis Head (right) always had the backing of head coach Justin Langer. Picture: Getty Images

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What does it mean to a young cricketer when a Test coach stakes his reputation on the line and says “I believe in you?’’

A lot.

Ask Travis Head and Darren Lehmann, South Australian left-handers past and present, who can tell tales about what it means to be on both sides of the argument.

Justin Langer, coach of Australia, and Travis Head share a strong bond. Picture: Getty

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Head’s studied 72 was a significant victory for coach Justin Langer who ignored Head’s patchy recent form to declare him a certainty to play in the Adelaide Test as soon as the side was announced.

In Langer’s eyes, Head was never part of the musical batsmen debate featuring Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh, and Marcus Harris because he is seen as a central plank of Australia’s future.

Lehmann, by contrast, has long admitted he initially did not click with his first Test coach Bob Simpson but one of the reasons he became such a fine coach himself was he learnt from that abrasive experience.

In his book, Coach, Lehmann detailed how he regretted not taking Simpson’s advice to work harder when, as a gifted yet naive youngster, he was drafted in the Australian side for a Test against Pakistan in 1990.

Lehmann was left out of the starting side and did not make his Test debut for another eight years.

Simpson came down hard on Lehmann and the youngster strongly resented it.

Darren Lehmann was a fresh-faced youngster when first called on by Bob Simpson. Picture: News Corp

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But the experience was not wasted because there were times behind closed doors when the spirit of Simmo surfaced in dealings between Lehmann and young players who are told things they don’t want to hear during Lehmann’s tenure as Australian coach.

“Simmo’s advice to me was right on the money — it was just brutally honest,’’ Lehmann once said.

“Now I am brutally honest myself. If a player takes it badly I say, ‘look it does not mean I don’t care about you’.’’

Lehmann had to make hard calls during his time as Australian head coach. Picture: Steve Pohlner

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Head, by contrast, seems to be singing off the same song sheet as Langer and it must help his confidence in a team in which insecurity is becoming a destructive force.

His 72 was crucial for Australia and he looked in control right up to the point of his dismissal, when, after being starved of strike, he nibbled outside off-stump and was so angry with himself he was walking to the pavilion before the ball had been pouched by Indian keeper Rishabh Pant.

Travis Head repaid Langer’s faith with a hard-fought half-century. Picture: Getty

Head’s innings was the victory Australia’s selectors needed to cement their belief that it’s time to look beyond statistics when choosing their Test team.

Before this Test, Head’s first class average was 36.8 and there has been eras when that would not guarantee you a game for your state, never mind the Test side.

But hidden behind that statistic was another that meant more.

Since Head became a 21-year-old Shield captain he has averaged 41 and there’s the story.

Additional pressure seems to draw the best from him — 41 is nothing that warrants a grandstand named in his honour but its respectable in an era where batsmen go harder so averages have to drop.

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