Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Travis Head says no divide in Australia Test team as he backs Marnus Labuschagne to find form

Travis Head has denied there is a rift in the Australian Test team as the side looks to rebound from its hammering at the hands of India in the first Test.

“It can be put to bed,” Head said of suggestions of a divide in the Australian ranks.

“We hold high expectations for both sides (batting and bowling) and it’s a very individualised sport.

“So batters, we want to hold our own — we know how good our bowlers have been for us in the past and they’ve got us out of trouble a lot.

“As a batting group, we know that if we get enough runs on the board, we put ourselves in a great position.

“As a batter myself, I try to take a whole lot of pride in what I do, and knowing that if I can set it up for the big boys, that they can knock it down for us, so definitely no divide.”

Head also backed Marnus Labuschagne to rally in the second Test in Adelaide starting on Friday amid critics querying his place in the team after an extended run of low scores.

“Knowing Marnus, he would have worked on a few things over the last few days and it would have been hard to probably keep him out of the nets,” he said.

“No doubt over the next few days we’ll see him working hard again. He’s a guy that has played well over a long period of time. He would like some more runs — so would everyone.

“And he’s got an opportunity over the next few days to continue to do what he does ... I just hope he goes in fresh and eager to play well.”

Head believes the Australian trait of fighting best with backs to the proverbial wall will be on display during the day-night match.

“This team has dealt with adversity well,” Head said. “The small amount that we have had in the last three or four years, we have played well.

“We’ve had some challenging times and a couple of challenging Tests last year that we’re able to get ourselves out of ... it’s a group that is well balanced and knows where it’s at. We didn’t have a very good week. That’s fine.

“But we have got four more opportunities to do it, we will crack on as we do, as we have done for the last few years.

“As a team we’ve been good for a period of time — we had a bad week.

“Over the last couple of years, there’s a lot of teams that have lost the first Test or gone down in the series and brought it back and played really well.”

An extended Australian squad assembled in Adelaide on Monday as doubt surrounds the fitness of all-rounder Mitch Marsh, who pulled up sore after the Perth Test.

Selectors have called in Beau Webster into the Adelaide squad as cover for Marsh.

Pacemen Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett have also joined the squad but Scott Boland is favoured to replace Josh Hazlewood, who is sidelined by a side strain.