SRH coach Daniel Vettori confirmed Travis Head tested positive for COVID-19, delaying his return for IPL 2025. Head's participation in the remaining matches is uncertain and depends on medical assessment after his arrival.

Ahead of IPL 2025 against Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad has been hit with a big setback as Travis Head will miss the match after testing positive for COVID-19, as confirmed by head coach Daniel Vettori.

After IPL 2025 was suspended for a week due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, many overseas players, including Australian cricketers returned home amid uncertainty over season resumption. After BCCI announced the resumption of the IPL 2025, certain overseas players, including Mitchell Starc, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and others opted out of the remaining matches, but the likes of Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, and a few others decided to rejoin their respective franchises for remainder of the season.

Though Australian pacer Pat Cummins has rejoined SRH squad for remaining matches, his compatriot Travis Head is yet to land in India, raising questions about his availability for the final league games.

Daniel Vettori provides update on Travis Head

Speaking at the press conference on the eve of the LSG clash, SRH head coach Daniel Vettori revealed that Head was diagnosed with COVID-19 in Australia and will arrive in India. His further participation in the tournament will be based on medical assessment.

“Travis is coming in tomorrow morning, he was delayed. He actually had COVID, so he couldn’t travel, so he’ll get in tomorrow morning and we’ll assess how he is after that,” Vettori told reporters.

Scroll to load tweet…

 

Travis Head has been batting mainstay for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL season. In IPL 2025, flamboyant left-handed batter has aggregated 281 runs, including two fifties at an average of 28.01 and a strike rate of 156.11 in 11 matches. During the clash against Mumbai Indians, Travis Head became the second-fastest batter to score 1000 runs by number of balls (575 balls) in the history of Indian Premier League.

Meanwhile, Travis Head has been picked in the Australia squad for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord’s on June 11. Australia are defending champions of the tournament, as they won their maiden title by defeating India in the WTC final 2023.

Sunrisers Hyderabad knocked out of IPL 2025

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign will come to an end in the league stage as they have already been knocked out of the tournament after their clash against Delhi Capitals was washed out due to rain on May 5.

The Pat Cummins-led side is currently at the eight spot on the points table with 3 wins, 7 losses and one no result while accumulating 11 outings. Sunrisers Hyderabad were the runners-up in the previous IPL season, losing to 3rd time champions Kolkata Knight Riders.

Apart from the clash against Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their final two league stage matches against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders on May 23 and 25, respectively.