Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell marvel at World Cup hero Travis Head

In two massive finals this year Travis Head has been man of the match, and his century in the World Cup final will live forever in cricket folklore.

Steve Smith called it “incredible”. Glenn Maxwell called it “second to none”.

Travis Head’s teammates were in awe of his World Cup-winning innings that even left the South Australian star in disbelief as he added man-of-the-match honours in India to the same achievement in the World Test Championship final.

The backing of selectors as Head recovered at home from a broken hand suffered before the tournament proved crucial in Australia’s surge to a sixth World Cup.

But ultimately it was Head’s faith in his ability to learn from previous experiences in India, which included being dropped from the Test team in February, and his stunning innings of 137 from just 120 balls proved most telling.

Head put on 192 runs with Marnus Labuschagne to seal a victory that left him in disbelief.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be here,” he said as he soaked up the win.

“It’s hard to put into words how it felt. I felt so in control with ‘Marn’ out there. We spoke today about not leaving anything on the table and not leaving anything to chance.

“To imagine getting a hundred in a World Cup final, not knowing if I was going to be here, it’s crazy …. There was a moment there when I looked up and we needed 30 to win and I still couldn’t believe what was going on.”

Travis Head and his wife Jessica soak it all in. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Head’s century came after his 163 in the World Test Championship decider at The Oval in June, also against India, when he was player of the match in another Australian victory.

Smith, who managed just four, marvelled at Head’s capacity to take on the Indian spinners, scoring 63 from 59 balls and three of his four sixes off Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.

“The show he put on was just incredible,” he said.

“He took the game on even when we were 3 for 60-odd, just kept going, kept playing to his strengths.”

Maxwell, who was called on to hit the winning runs when Head was dismissed, said his capacity to survive and then thrive under the ultimate pressure was a sight to behold.

“That ball striking, under pressure in a final, was second to none,” he said.

David Warner said Head’s innings was more remarkable given his late start to the tournament.

“What an incredible comeback from Heady,” he said.

“He got injured in South Africa, come back in and scored his hundred in his first game and a hundred here tonight in front of a jam-packed crowd. He was just absolutely phenomenal.”

🏏🇦🇺 Pat Cummins was full of praise for Travis Head after his performance in the World Cup final — especially after the risk Australia took selecting him in the first place.

🏆 Read more about Australia’s successful World Cup run: https://t.co/EsIOXNZSPB#CWC23pic.twitter.com/PP97pmyEJO

— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) November 20, 2023

It wasn’t luck either. Head said the work he’d done, the adjustments he’d made to bat in India were the reasons for an innings he’d never forget.

“Maybe (getting dropped from the Test team) was a blessing in disguise because it gave me a week in India, gave me an extra week to work on things I wanted to work on,” he said.

“I drew back on that that blueprint and the memories that I had from that.

“To be able to do that on a big stage in front of the full house and all that pressure is a nice thing.”

Originally published as Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell marvel at World Cup hero Travis Head