Travis Head Benched, Moeen Ali In: SRH vs KKR Playing XI Revealed
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has made a surprising change to their lineup for their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Star opener Travis Head will be on the bench, while KKR has replaced Spencer Johnson with Moeen Ali for their home clash at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.
Key Changes and Team Selections
- SRH: Travis Head has been rested, likely to be used as an Impact Player in the second innings. This strategic move allows SRH to maintain flexibility during the match.
- KKR: Spencer Johnson has been dropped to accommodate an additional spinner, Moeen Ali, strengthening KKR’s spin attack at home.
Toss and Captain Comments
SRH skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first. Cummins emphasized the importance of coordination and maintaining an aggressive batting approach while avoiding recklessness.
KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane expressed satisfaction with the pitch conditions, anticipating it would favor their spinners. He acknowledged a recent setback but underlined the team's determination to improve throughout the tournament.
Playing XI Details
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Playing 11:
- Abhishek Sharma
- Ishan Kishan
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Aniket Verma
- Heinrich Klaasen (WK)
- Kamindu Mendis
- Pat Cummins (C)
- Harshal Patel
- Simarjeet Singh
- Mohammed Shami
- Zeeshan Ansari
Impact Subs: Abhinav Manohar, Jaydev Unadkat, Travis Head, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Playing 11:
- Quintin de Kock (WK)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (C)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Angkush Raghuvanshi
- Moeen Ali
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Subs: Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia
Location
First Published: April 03, 2025, 19:22 IST
FAQs
Q: Why isn’s Travis Head in SRH’s playing 11?
A: Travis Head has been benched as a strategic move, likely to be used as an Impact Player later in the match. This allows SRH to gain tactical advantages.
Q: What is the significance of Moeen Ali’s inclusion in the KKR team?
A: Moeen Ali’s inclusion strengthens KKR’s spin attack, particularly at home where the pitch is expected to assist spinners.
Q: What is the Impact Player rule in IPL?
A: The Impact Player rule allows teams to substitute a player after the first innings, who can then directly influence the game’s outcome. Overseas players can be used as Impact Players only when the team originally starts with three foreigners.