Aakash Chopra has noticed that SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Travis Head delivered a little painful knock in his team’s IPL 2024 victory over the Rajasthan Royals.
Travis Head struck 58 off 44 balls as SRH set RR a 202-run goal in Hyderabad on Thursday, May 2. Pat Cummins and company then eked out a one-run victory to move into fourth place on the points standings.
In a video posted on his YouTube account, Chopra reflected on SRH’s batting and noted that Head was not his typical destructive self.
“Hyderabad were able to score only 37 runs in the first six overs. Travis Head wasn’t able to hit much. A catch was dropped off the first ball. Riyan Parag dropped Phil Salt one day and here he dropped Travis Head’s catch. Abhishek Sharma got out as soon as Avesh (Khan) came.”
“It seemed like it would be enough if they scored 160-170. However, the hitting started after that. Travis Head struggled his way through to a half-century. He batted out of character but it was the need of the hour to bat like that because when you were watching the match, it seemed like batting was tough.”
Aakash Chopra
Head hit six fours and three sixes during his 58-run innings. He was second fiddle to Nitish Kumar Reddy in their 96-run third-wicket stand.
“He came slightly out of syllabus” – Aakash Chopra on SRH’s Nitish Kumar Reddy
Aakash Chopra commended Nitish Kumar Reddy for providing much-needed momentum to the SunRisers Hyderabad innings.
“When Nitish Kumar Reddy came, he also started very slowly. However, then he changed gears and showed that he is a special player. He came slightly out of syllabus. It seemed like the Rajasthan Royals weren’t prepared. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s six-hitting ability is special, whether it is over cover or midwicket.”
Aakash Chopra
The cricketer-turned-commentator also praised Heinrich Klaasen for demonstrating his devastating skills even on a little sluggish wicket.
“Since it’s getting hotter and the pitches are getting slower, the Indian batters might be able to negotiate spin better than the overseas ones. However, as soon as I said that, I remembered Klaasen. He said he will show it by doing it. He was hitting sixes from the first ball. If he had played 29 balls instead of 19, he might have taken the score to 240.”
Aakash Chopra
Heinrich Klaasen stayed unblemished with a 19-ball 42. The SRH wicketkeeper-batter and Reddy put up an unbroken 70-run fourth-wicket stand in only 5.2 overs, propelling their team above the 200-run barrier.