Kia Oval Talking Points: Travis Head does the damage as Aussies take control of WTC final

The Cricketer looks at the main talking points on day one of the World Test Championship final between Australia and India at the Kia Oval

Movement That Inspires play of the day

This was Travis Head's day. The 29-year-old Australian No.5 wandered to the wicket with his side in a little bit of bother, if not terminal trouble, at 73 for 3.

What followed was an exhibition in Test batting, as he made his way to a sixth ton in the format and first overseas.

Head met everything India had to throw at him, as he combined with Steve Smith to put on an unbeaten 251 for the fourth wicket to drive India into the dirt at the Kia Oval.

And the moment he reached three figures - and became the first man to score a hundred in the World Test Championship final - certainly stands out as the play of the day.

Head took on yet another short ball to swat it into the midwicket gap for three figures.

He reflected on his work on day one by saying: "I feel good, turning 30 this year, and in a nice place off the field. I have the backing of the staff and my place feels reasonably secure. I can flourish in this environment.

"I have changed the foundations of my game. Success is never guaranteed but I have prepared well in the last few weeks, and it’s a nice start to the summer."

Mohammed Shami celebrates the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne [Getty Images]

Take The Lead, Drive Electric moment of the day

Head and Smith might have been the leading lights, but on a day when Australia dominated there was at least a handful of reasons for Indians to smile.

And one of them came when Marnus Labuschagne was bowled by a snorter from the slippery Mohammed Shami.

The batting machine was given a tough time by the Indian attack, and being castled send their fans into raptures.

Unfortunately for India and their supporters, those scenes were few and far between - leading some to question the decision to leave out the No.1-ranked Test bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin in favour of four seamers.

Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey reflected on that decision after the first day's play.

"It's difficult to drop a champion bowler like that, he's world class, no doubt," he said. "But we looked at the conditions and we thought it would help four seamers more. Also it's a tactic that has worked for us here in the past.

"We thought that conditions would give us more help. Hopefully we can achieve something with this second new ball. We could have been more disciplined. We started well, hitting the right areas, but later we were not disciplined enough."

Travis Head celebrates his day-one century in the 2023 World Test Championship final [AFP via Getty Images]es

Short thrift for the short stuff

How effective is the short ball against Head?

Yes he was beaten a few times, yes he got hit once or twice, but any width and he slashes and steers over gully and to third man with infuriating ease for bowlers.

He reached his hundred off a delivery short of a length, and showed timing and courage to lift the seamers over the gully at times.

India may need a rethink ahead of day two.

Mhambrey almost conceded as much afterwards, saying: "We felt that the short ball could trouble Travis Head. Maybe we could have done it 30 to 40 runs earlier, but you have to trust the captain."

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