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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been dealt a significant blow ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 encounter against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, May 19, with star Australian opener Travis Head ruled out after testing positive for Covid-19.
“He actually had COVID, so he couldn’t travel”: Daniel Vettori
SRH head coach Daniel Vettori confirmed the unfortunate development on Sunday during a pre-match press conference. “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 stated, shedding light on Head’s unexpected absence.
Head, a pivotal figure at the top of the order for SRH this season, had briefly returned to Australia during the IPL’s recent suspension. His intended return to rejoin the squad for the final phase of the tournament was thwarted by the positive Covid-19 test, preventing him from boarding his scheduled flight to India. This leaves Sunrisers without one of their most aggressive and impactful batters for what promises to be a challenging fixture at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
The timing of Head’s unavailability couldn’t be worse for the Hyderabad franchise. Last year’s finalists, SRH have struggled to find consistency and replicate their previous form this season, currently languishing in eighth place on the points table. While Head had a stellar 2024 campaign, his individual returns have also seen a dip in the ongoing season. His absence will undoubtedly create a significant void at the top of the batting order, placing additional pressure on the likes of Abhishek Sharma and the rest of the SRH batting lineup to step up.
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SRH to face RCB and KKR after the LSG clash
Despite the setback, there remains a glimmer of hope for Head’s return later in the tournament. SRH has two more matches remaining after the LSG clash: against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 23 and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 25. The team will be hopeful that Head can make a swift recovery and gain medical clearance to feature in these crucial closing encounters.
For LSG, Head’s absence presents a tangible advantage as they fight to keep their slender playoff hopes alive. With only three matches left in their league stage campaign, the Super Giants are in desperate need of a strong run of victories and favourable results from other matches to secure a spot in the top four. They will undoubtedly be looking to capitalize on a weakened SRH batting unit as the IPL 2025 group stage draws to a close.
Also READ: IPL 2025 Points Table
