Travis Head’s wife Jessica was subjected to brutal online abuse after a clash of her husband with RCB opener Virat Kohli in IPL 2026 match last week.
Published: May 25, 2026 12:46 PM IST
Indian Premier League 2026 has been mired by another controversy after Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win over defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru last Friday. RCB opener and former captain raised a major storm by refusing on shake hands with SRH and Australia star Travis Head after the match.
The consequences of Kohli’s actions were borne by Travis Head’s wife Jessica Head. The former Australian model was subjected to brutal abuse online by fans of Kohli and RCB. Jessica revealed that her social media ‘blew up’ after the incident and it was a reminder of similar abuse in the past.
Also Read | IPL 2026 Playoffs: Full schedule, top 4 teams, match dates and venues
Jessica Head and other wives and girlfriends of Australian cricketers faced similar abuse as Team India’s loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Jessica copped the bulk of these abuses three years back after Travis Head had taken the catch to dismiss Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the 2023 final.
“It feels like a repeat of the abuse that happened after the World Cup. I woke up to my socials blasting… we are fine but they are attacking my friends and family,” Jessica told Australian media outlet The Advertiser.
“I think across all sports at the moment there’s an important conversation around mental health, perspective and the way we speak to one another. Passion will always be part of sport, but so is remembering there are real people and families behind the game. Hopefully, this encourages more kindness, and support for one another,” Jessica added.
What transpired between Virat Kohli and Travis Head in Hyderabad?
The incident occurred in SRH left-arm spinner Shivang Kumar’s over in which RCB opener Venkatesh Iyer slammed a succession of boundaries. Kohli batting at the other end gestured to Travis Head to take up the bowling duties.
Head crossed paths with Kohli again while changing fielding positions later in the innings and it appears some words were exchanged between the duo. The Australian opener was finally given the ball in the 18th over of the innings and had immediate impact as he dismissed RCB captain Rajat Patidar with the ball.
WATCH viral video between Virat Kohli and Travis Head HERE…
Look behind the whole SRH coaching staff, including Daniel Vettori and Muttiah Muralitharan, were watching Virat Kohli and Travis Head, expecting some drama and ready to stop a fight.
But Kohli didn’t shake hands, and everyone started laughing. pic.twitter.com/9F9pHwiC8T
— Jeet (@JeetN25) May 23, 2026
The on-field scuffle between Kohli and Head spilled over after the match as the former India captain brushed past the Australian batter and refused to shake hands with him after SRH completed an impressive win.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan defended Kohli’s actions saying, “Yes, I was commentating at that time. Look, Virat also likes to play cricket the way the Australians do. A little banter, a little aggression, a little talk of ‘okay, come and bowl a few deliveries.’ That’s what he was saying: ‘You are not an Impact Player.’ Generally, he is an Impact Player, and he goes off the field. He asked him to bowl, something happened, and he was calling him out as well. Look at what happened after the game-I am not going to talk much about that. But what happened on the field is okay, it happens. You want to play aggressively, you want to wear your heart on your sleeve, and that brings a little banter and aggression.”
Kohli and Head could face off once again as RCB will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 and SRH have also reached the playoffs and will face Rajasthan Royals in Eliminator.
