SRH opener Travis Head’s struggles continued in IPL 2026 with another cheap dismissal against the Rajasthan Royals. His pattern of inconsistency this season, a stark contrast to his previous performances, has become a major concern for the team and sparked widespread criticism from fans on social media.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Travis Head was dismissed cheaply in the IPL 2026 clash against the Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, or Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad, on Monday, April 13.
After being put into bat first by RR captain Riyan Parag, SRH lost an early wicket in Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck, dismissed by Jofra Archer. Thereafter, Travis Head was joined by Ishan Kishan at the crease to carry on Hyderabad’s innings. Head was more of a second fiddle to the stand-in captain, who took charge of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting.
The Australian flamboyant batter struggled to get going as he conceded 18 balls for 18 runs, including three fours, before he was removed by RR skipper Riyan Parag at 55/2, once again falling short of expectations in the ongoing IPL season.
Also Read: IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma gets unwanted record for most ducks in a year
Head’s Struggle with Consistency
Travis Head was one of the standout batters for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the previous IPL seasons, scoring 567 and 374 in 2024 and 2025, respectively. However, the Australian batter has struggled to replicate the same level of impact in the ongoing IPL 2026, with his inconsistency at the top order becoming a growing concern for the franchise.
Head had a poor start to the season, scoring 11 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru before returning to his form with 46 off 21 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders. However, in the match against the Lucknow Super Giants, Travis Head was dismissed for just seven runs at the Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad.
In the last outing against the Punjab Kings, the Australian batter scored 38 off 23 balls, helping SRH post a solid total of 219/6, which the bowlers ultimately failed to defend. In the recent match against the Rajasthan Royals, Head yet again scored 18 off 18 balls before getting out.
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Travis Head’s pattern of inconsistency in IPL 2026 continues to worry SRH, with the opener failing to deliver regular big scores despite a few promising starts. The Australian left-handed opener delivered in patches but has been unable to maintain consistency, leaving Sunrisers Hyderabad searching for stability at the top of the order.
In five matches so far, Travis Head has aggregated 120 runs at an average of 24.00 and a strike rate of 151.89.
‘Travis Head Looked Done and Dusted’
Travis Head’s inconsistent performance in the ongoing IPL season sparked a debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts questioning his form and consistency and calling for improved performances from the SRH opener.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts brutally criticized Travis Head for his poor form and inconsistency, with many calling his performance ‘flat’ and ‘impact-less,’ questioning his consistency at the top order.
Some even noted that he no longer looks like the explosive self, while others debated whether SRH should rethink his role after another low-scoring outing.
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Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a solid total of 216/6 in 20 overs. Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan played a knock of 91 off 44 balls, including 8 fours and 6 sixes, at a strike rate of 206.82. Heinrich Klaasen (40), Nitish Kumar Reddy (28), and Salil Arora (24*) provided valuable contributions to help SRH finish on a strong total after early setbacks.
Also Read: IPL: Ishan Kishan’s fiery 91 powers SRH to a massive 216 vs RR