IPL 2025: Aakash Chopra shockingly snubs Travis Head in SRH’s top 3 retentions

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra reckons that Travis Head would not be in the retained players list of Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Instead, Chopra picked Abhishek Sharma, Pat Cummins, and Heinrich Klaasen as the players who will be retained.

Travis Head was one of the top performers for Sunrisers last season and played a key role in their road to the final. The left-hander scored 567 runs in 15 matches at an average of 40.50 and a blistering strike rate of 191.55.

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Aakash Chopra excludes Travis Head in his retained players list for SRH

Travis Head was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad last season. Despite having a great IPL season, Chopra was not convinced that Head to be retained this time. However, he wants the Sunrisers to take back their star player through the Right to Match (RTM) card.

Abhishek Sharma
Pat Cummins
Klassen

Travis Head as RTM.

Nitish Reddy…to be retained if he’s still uncapped. Or else RTM for him.

Will #SRH go along these lines or change tactics? Thoughts?? #AakashVani

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 6, 2024

Aakash Chopra predicts retention picks for SRH

Aakash Chopra chose Abhishek Sharma, Pat Cummins, and Heinrich Klaasen as the players who will be retained by the Sunrisers. Abhishek had a brilliant IPL 2024 season with the bat.

The left-hander smacked 484 runs in 16 matches at an average of 32.26 and a strike rate of 204.21. The opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head had tremendous success as they emerged as the most destructive pair of the IPL 2024 season.

Meanwhile, Pat Cummins is currently the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was signed by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2024 season for INR 20.50 crore. Cummins led the team excellently last season and also bowled well during various stages of the game.

South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen needs no introduction. Klaasen has emerged as one of the most dangerous batters in the world over the last few years. His record against both the fast bowlers and the spinners is excellent.

In IPL 2024, Klaasen smashed 479 runs at an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 171.07. The wicketkeeper-batter has the ability to destroy any bowling line-up in the world and can go in high demand if SRH release him into auction.

Nitish Reddy as an uncapped player

Aakash Chopra also predicted the youngster Nitish Reddy to be retained as the uncapped player if he goes into the auction without making his international debut.

Nitish Reddy has been included in India's squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh. If he does not get a game in the series, he will go as an uncapped player in the auction which will allow SRH to retain him for just INR 4 crores.

However, if he gets his international cap, the Sunrisers will have to pay a good amount to retain him. The allrounder was highly impressive in the last season where he scored 303 runs at an average of 33.66 and a strike rate of 142.92.