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Former South African captain and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend AB de Villiers has shared his tactical blueprint for stopping Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) destructive opening duo, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
IPL 2025: AB de Villiers’ blueprint
Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers emphasized the importance of well-planned field placements, precise bowling strategies, and an unexpected wildcard in RCB’s lineup to counter the pair’s aggressive batting approach. De Villiers started by acknowledging the dominance of the duo, saying, “What did everyone call them? They got a nickname, ‘TravShek,’. I think they have earned the right to get a nickname because these two have been an incredible opening partnership for SRH over the last few years. Absolutely phenomenal,” He noted that they have consistently provided SRH with explosive starts and have become a nightmare for opposition bowlers.
SRH’s run-machine Travis Head’s weakness
De Villiers emphasized Head’s struggle against short-pitched deliveries and how bowlers should challenge him with aggressive lengths. “What I would do is really plan two-length bowling to him. I’d get up there and not shy away from throwing yorkers at the stumps but also testing him on the head with the right field setup,” De Villiers explained.
He further elaborated on field placement, saying, “I wouldn’t have a third man back. Instead, I’d bring my third man up while keeping my fine leg and deep square leg back. That way, I can bluff and make him think, ‘What’s coming next? A yorker? A hard length? A bouncer?'” His strategy revolved around denying Head easy access to his favorite off-side strokes by cramping him up and forcing him into errors.
“I wouldn’t mind if he hit me over short third man, but I won’t give him free runs in his strong zones. I would cramp him up, use body-line bowling, mix it up with good yorkers and well-directed bouncers, and set two fielders deep on the leg side. That would be my game plan against him,” the former RCB batter added.
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Explosive batter Abhishek Sharma’s weakness
When addressing Abhishek Sharma, de Villiers noted that his biggest strength lies in his off-side stroke play. He advised bowlers to deny him width and force him to play in uncomfortable areas. “Abhishek is very strong through the off-side, so you don’t want to give him room to free his arms. The key to stopping him is to cramp him up and ensure he doesn’t get easy width to capitalize on,” the 41-year-old said.
Abhishek, known for his aggressive approach, can be vulnerable to clever bowling changes. De Villiers suggested that bowlers mix up their deliveries, remain unpredictable, and prevent him from getting into rhythm.
The unexpected X-factor against SRH’s openers
Surprisingly, De Villiers identified RCB’s left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya as a wildcard option to dismiss either Head or Abhishek early. While conventional wisdom suggests not using a left-arm spinner against two left-handed batters in the powerplay, de Villiers believed Krunal’s intelligence could outsmart the aggressive openers.
“I know people will say that bowling a left-arm spinner to a left-hand batter in the powerplay, with only two fielders outside the ring, is risky. But Krunal is so smart that he can outthink one of these two guys, at least. And that’s all he needs to do—just break the partnership. Once you get one of them out, the other has to start a new partnership, and that’s when you shift the momentum in your favor,” he explained.
De Villiers further pointed out that ego could play a role in bringing about Head or Abhishek’s downfall. De Villiers highlighted how Head and Abhishek’s aggressive mindset could backfire if RCB deploys a bowler like Krunal at the right time. By forcing them to take risks, Krunal could create an opportunity for a breakthrough.
“I think Travis Head will come out and play with ego, and Abhishek Sharma as well. If Krunal comes in thinking that they’re going to try and score 20+ runs in that over, he just needs to remain calm and bowl smartly. Against all the odds, I believe he is the guy who can get one of them out,” the ex- South Africa captain stated.
RCB’s best weapon with the new ball
While De Villiers was confident that Krunal could provide a tactical edge, he also backed RCB’s premier pacer Josh Hazlewood as the best bowler to get SRH’s openers out early. He emphasized the importance of carrying an attacking field when Hazlewood is bowling.
“Obviously, Josh Hazlewood is one of the best new-ball bowlers in the world. He can get anyone out with the new ball, and against Head and Abhishek, you have to carry a slip—perhaps even two—because an edge will definitely come at some point,” De Villiers suggested.
Hazlewood’s ability to bowl consistent lengths, extract bounce, and move the ball could be vital against Head and Abhishek, who prefer attacking from the start. De Villiers believed that an early breakthrough would put immediate pressure on SRH’s middle order, shifting the game in RCB’s favour.
“That will be my thinking—nice, straight lines to Head, no width for Abhishek, and making them uncomfortable. If we can break their partnership, then we disrupt SRH’s game plan completely. That’s the key,” De Villiers concluded.
