Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori confirmed on Sunday that opener Travis Head had contracted COVID-19, which delayed his return to India for the remainder of IPL 2025’s league stage. Head is now expected to arrive on Monday (May 19), making him unavailable for SRH’s clash against Lucknow Super Giants later that same evening. “Travis is arriving tomorrow morning. His travel was delayed due to COVID. He couldn’t travel earlier, but he’ll be here tomorrow and we’ll evaluate his condition once he lands,” Vettori informed reporters on Sunday.

With playoff qualification now out of reach, Sunrisers Hyderabad have three matches left in the tournament. The team currently sits eighth on the points table after 11 games. The IPL 2025 season resumed on May 17 following a suspension due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan. However, the highly anticipated match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was washed out by rain without a ball being bowled at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

As for SRH, last season’s finalists have struggled to find form this year. Despite boasting a strong batting lineup featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen, the team has failed to deliver consistent performances throughout the season.