Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) head coach Daniel Vettori has confirmed that star opener Travis Head is yet to rejoin the team following the week-long suspension of IPL 2025. Aside from all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who is with South Africa for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, SRH are not dealing with any other major player absences.
The team was officially knocked out of the playoff race after their home match against Delhi Capitals (DC) was abandoned due to rain on May 5. However, SRH still have three fixtures left — against LSG, RCB, and KKR — with two of them potentially influencing the final playoff standings.
SRH’s batting performances this season have been underwhelming, as they struggled to implement their aggressive playing strategy. Nevertheless, Travis Head remains a vital part of the lineup and has been one of their top performers, currently ranking as the team’s third-highest run-scorer with 281 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 156.11.
Daniel Vettori stated that Travis Head is scheduled to arrive in India on May 19, the same day SRH face LSG, which essentially means he will be unavailable for the match.
“Travis is coming in tomorrow morning. He was delayed. He actually had COVID, so he couldn’t travel. He’ll get in tomorrow morning and we’ll assess how he is after that,” Daniel Vettori said in the pre-match press conference (via Sportstar).
Travis Head Previously Tested Positive for COVID-19 During 2021-22 Ashes Series
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, left-handed batter Travis Head was sidelined for the fourth Test of the 2021-22 Ashes series at home after testing positive. Although he showed minimal symptoms, he made a strong comeback in the final Test in Hobart, smashing a rapid century.
SRH will be eager to have Head available for their final two matches of the season against southern rivals Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as they look to avoid finishing at the bottom of the table. Their first match after the league’s resumption will be against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.
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