Even Travis Head would barely recognise the batter who walked out onto the MCG four years ago against India.
Struggling for form, Head was dismissed edging twice, pushing at balls on 38 and 17 as Australia was thrashed by eight wickets in the 2020 Boxing Day Test.
The left-hander was then squeezed out of the Australia XI to allow Will Pucovski to debut in the Sydney Test that followed, leaving questions over Head’s future in the red-ball game.
“I lost my (national) contract and then I went to Sussex and stunk it up there as well,” Head said.
“I tried to keep batting the way I was batting and it wasn’t working.
“Then in one of my last games at Sussex I got 49 off 46 in the second innings and I thought, ‘F**k this, I am just going to slog’.
“And I did well, so I thought, ‘Why don’t I just do that?’.”
Head (right) scored his second century of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Brisbane. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)
The innings against Kent at Canterbury proved a turning point in Head’s career, as illustrated by the heights he has achieved since being recalled for the 2021/22 Ashes series.
It has reached the point that when Head lands in Melbourne on Sunday ahead of the Boxing Day Test he will arrive as arguably Australia’s most important player.
In 33 Tests since his return to the Australian side, Head has been player-of-the match in eight of his appearances.
He has averaged 46.71 through that period and hit nine centuries.
Following the opening three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Head has compiled 409 runs at average of 81.80, highlighted by back-to-back centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane.
Head said he was a long way removed from the batter who walked off the MCG with his cards marked four years ago.
“I was worried about my technique back then,” he said.
“My theory was if I could stay out there long enough my aggressive approach would take over, and I would score runs by being there.
“Now I am like, don’t worry about getting out, if you can score score. And then if you can’t score, get in good positions to not get out.
“I’m more worried about runs now than anything else.”
AAP
