Former India player Aakash Chopra has applauded SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Travis Head for scoring a stunning century in his side’s IPL 2024 win against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Head scored 102 runs off just 41 balls as SRH set RCB a massive 288-run target in Bengaluru on Monday, April 15. The visitors then restricted RCB to 262/7 to register a 25-run win as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma only hit from both ends nowadays. A well at one end a ditch at the other, the bowlers were getting beaten up like drums from both ends. They kept hitting. My heart for once was a little relieved. The relief was not because RCB were getting hit but it was the first time Head hit a team that didn’t have Indian in their name. One was an Indian team on 19th November (ODI World Cup final) and the other were the Mumbai Indians. I thought he hated the Indian name but this time he hit Bengaluru. He gave a headache as well as a heartache.”

While Travis Head smashed nine fours and eight sixes in his 102-run knock, Abhishek’s 22-ball 34 was included with two fours and as many
sixes. The duo added 108 runs in just 8.1 overs only. And, Aakash Chopra also appreciated Heinrich Klaasen for using the start given by the SRH openers.

“Abhishek Sharma was playing with him (Head). He was also hitting fours and sixes. If you felt you might get a chance to breathe a little when he got out, out came Heinrich Klaasen. Heinrich hard-hitting Klaasen – it should be taught in schools how he hits sixes. The head remains in the line of the ball, he first cocks and then uncocks his hands on the bat, and the arms are also in the line of where the ball pitches. So the bat and head are in very good positions. Minimal feet movement but maximum results. One ball went to Cubbon Park and another had to be searched in Google Maps,” Aakash Chopra concluded.