Travis Head revealed the reason why he played fearless cricket for SRH in IPL 2024, saying that this was how he wanted the Australian team to play. Head continued his good run in IPL 2024, seemingly carrying over his form from international cricket into the ongoing campaign. Head won the Player of the Match award for his striking knock of 89 runs against LSG at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on May 8, Wednesday.
As the playoff race intensified, SRH defeated LSG by 10 goals and climbed to 3rd place in the points table. During the post-match presentation, Head talked about making full utilize of the power play and working on the ability to play rotation. The batsman stressed that working on his spin stroke skills will be crucial for him as he travels with Australia to the USA and West Indies for the T20 World Cup. IPL 2024, SRH vs LSG: Match report | overview of the most critical events
“We’re having a great time today. Nice that we managed to do it in 10 overs. Abhi and I have had several such partnerships. Just focus on getting into good positions, keep a close eye on the ball and try to maximize your power play. (During his spin shots) This is something I’ve been working on. This will also be critical in the Caribbean. In the current game, it is critical to play 360°. The boss said. Full Coverage of IPL 2024 | IPL 2024 Points Table and Rankings | IPL 2024 full schedule
LSG’s plan to introduce rotation early in the innings backfired as Head bowled Krishnappa Gowtham in the third over of the chase for 22 runs. He hit Ravi Bishnoi with massive fours and sixes as the entire LSG bowling attack looked hapless.
Head spoke about his fearless approach towards his national team as well as his franchise team. With Pat Cummins spearheading the affairs of the Test and ODI teams in Australia and at SRH, Head found clarity in the role and performed it to perfection.
“That’s what they wanted me to do for the last 12 months in the Australian team and that’s what they told me to do here.” The boss said.
The Australian opener scored 327 runs for Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup at an average of 54.83. This also includes a stunning score of 137 runs in the final against India on November 19, 2023. Head continued his dominance on the Indian circuit by scoring 533 runs in 11 matches at an average of 53.30 in IPL 2024.
“We complement each other well”
Head talked about his record-breaking partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who also scored a 28-ball 75 against LSG. He was elated when he scored more runs than David Warner in his first season at SRH.
“I don’t have to change anything huge. (About Abhishek Sharma) I know how demanding he works and how deep he thinks, his spin game is second to none. We complement each other very well. Nice to see him back in the running after missing the last few games (On NRR) We didn’t think about it until the timeout, but then the boys came out and told us to score quickly. The boss said.
“The crowds were exceptional tonight, that’s what we needed after losing the last two. I don’t have many complaints about him, so it’s good to know that I have more runs than David Warner did in his first season at SRH. We start over every time we come here for the next match,” Head added.
Abhishek and Head shared their third 100-plus run in the season opener, helping SRH reach the target of 167 runs in 9.4 overs.
