3 reasons why Travis Head is a great signing for SRH for IPL 2024
Australia's Travis Head was expected to be one of the biggest buys in the IPL auction. The left-hander was one of the star performers at the ODI World Cup and also won Player of the Match awards in both the World Test Championship and World Cup 2023 finals.
Head was picked up by the SunRisers Hyderabad for ₹6.8 crore. They were locked in an intense bidding war with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who pulled out at the last minute.
Head came into the IPL auction with a base price of ₹2 crore. He has already been a part of the Delhi Capitals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the past in the IPL.
On that note, here we take a look at 3 reasons why Travis Head is a great signing for SRH for IPL 2024.
#3 An opener – can set the tone
Much like David Warner, Travis Head has been Australia’s best batter over the last two years. He has gone after the bowlers from the word go and sets up the game for his side. In Indian conditions, the left-hander was one of the best batters for the side in the World Cup and showed great game even against the spinners.
SRH was served well by Warner and now Head can replicate the same role. He is an excellent cricketer who is a proper match-winner and his consistent run of scores indicates that he can be the perfect fit for the SunRisers at the top of the order.
#2 Travis Head is a handy off-spinner
Apart from being a match-winner with the bat, Head is a handy off-spinner. He will find conditions that assist him and he can roll his arm over for a couple of overs – either in the powerplay or even during the middle phase.
Hyderabad have picked up Travis Head as a batter, but he can also add balance to the squad as a bowler. He can allow the side to play a regular batter or bowler as need be – depending on the conditions.
Head showed his prowess with the ball in the Test series against India on pitches that offered assistance to finger spinners and this trait can be put to use even in the IPL.
#1 Part of the leadership group
Head has taken part in 10 IPL matches so far - for Royal Challengers Bangalore during 2016 and 2017, primarily batting in the middle order. His numbers were decent, but nothing to sit up and take note. However, following his return to the Australia national team last year, he has been sensational with the bat across various formats.
Head was officially promoted to co-vice-captain in Australia's Test team, sharing the role with Steven Smith. He was part of the leadership group earlier too when Tim Paine was captain of the side. He was captain of Adelaide Strikers and is considered to be a leader in the different teams that he was part of.
In many ways, he can be one of the leaders of the SunRisers Hyderabad in the future and thus, can be a great addition to the side.