In the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final held at Lord's on June 12, Australia's middle-order batsman, Travis Head, had a disappointing outing against South Africa. After dismissing South Africa for just 138 runs on Day 2, Australia began their second innings with a solid 74-run lead from their first innings total of 211.

However, the Australian batting lineup faltered dramatically, with the top-order batsmen struggling under pressure, allowing the South African team to regain momentum. Key players including Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Beau Webster all fell cheaply, putting immense pressure on the middle and lower order.

Travis Head was anticipated to play a crucial role in stabilizing the innings and providing counter-attacking play, especially given his previous performances in the tournament. His failure to perform raised questions about his ability to handle pressure in high-stakes matches.

Historically, Head has been a dependable player for Australia, as demonstrated by his match-winning 163 runs in the WTC Final 2023 against India and his top-scoring performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 448 runs, including two centuries.

Since his debut in 2018, Head has consistently batted at the No. 5 position, known for his aggressive yet composed style that often shifts the game's momentum in Australia's favor. Unfortunately, during the match at Lord's, he struggled to adapt to the challenging seaming conditions.

In the first innings, Head came to bat at a precarious 46/3 but was dismissed for just 13 runs by Marco Jansen. In the second innings, he entered the field at 44/3 and was bowled out for nine runs by Wiaan Mulder, further deepening Australia's troubles.

Head's inability to perform in critical moments has reignited discussions about his reliability in high-pressure situations. The seaming conditions posed a significant challenge, with fast bowlers exploiting the pitch's movement and testing the batsmen's technique.

Despite being a key player, his failures at Lord's have proven detrimental to Australia, as the team management had hoped he would anchor the innings and provide stability, a role he has successfully filled in the past.

After a dismal start, Australia found themselves at 73/7 following the dismissals of Steve Smith (13), Beau Webster (9), and Travis Head (9). Nevertheless, a resilient lower-order partnership between Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc helped Australia extend their lead to 200 runs, giving their bowlers something to defend.

Carey and Starc combined for a vital 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket, with Carey scoring 43 runs off 50 balls before his dismissal. Starc continued to bat alongside Nathan Lyon, as Australia closed Day 2 with a total of 144/8, holding a 218-run lead.