Travis Head rewrote history books once again by scoring the fastest century ever in a day-night Test during Day 2 of the second Test against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Adelaide Oval. The dynamic Australian left-hander reached his milestone in just 111 balls, breaking his previous record of a 112-ball century against England in Hobart in 2022.
Head Secures Three Fastest Pink-Ball Centuries
This remarkable feat marks the third time Head has scored the fastest century in a pink-ball Test. Besides his record-breaking knocks against India and England, he also has a 125-ball century against the West Indies in a day-night Test at the same venue in 2022. Head now holds all three of the fastest centuries in the format:
111 balls vs India, Adelaide 2024
112 balls vs England, Hobart 2022
125 balls vs West Indies, Adelaide 2022
A Century Born From Resilience and Aggression
Walking in after Steve Smith’s dismissal in the first session, Head approached the Indian bowlers with calculated aggression. While he showed respect to the ever-reliable Jasprit Bumrah, who managed to beat him on a few occasions, Head capitalized against the other bowlers, particularly the inexperienced Harshit Rana.
However, Head’s innings was not without its share of fortune. On 78, he survived two close calls in quick succession. First, a top-edged slog sweep off Ravichandran Ashwin saw Mohammed Siraj fail to hold onto a challenging catch running back from mid-on. Moments later, Head nicked a Harshit Rana delivery between wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and second slip Rohit Sharma, with no first slip in place, and Pant making no attempt at the catch.
Once past these scares, Head launched an assault. He hammered three boundaries off Rana in a single over before completing his century with a single off Ashwin. The left-hander celebrated in style, dedicating his knock to his newborn son with a cradle gesture and acknowledging his family in the stands.
Impact on the Game
Head’s century, scored at nearly a run-a-ball, propelled Australia past the 300-run mark, positioning them for a commanding first-innings lead. His aggressive approach left the Indian bowling attack struggling to find answers.
India, bowled out for 180 in their first innings, now face an uphill task after their comprehensive victory in the series opener in Perth. Head’s brilliance in Adelaide has put Australia in a dominant position as they look to level the series.
