Travis Head and Virat Kohli (ANI Image)
New Delhi: Australian cricketer Travis Head and his wife Jessica once again faced online abuse from some Indian cricket fans after a heated moment in IPL 2026 involving Virat Kohli went viral. Jessica said hateful comments and private messages were sent not only to them but also to their friends and family members after the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“It feels like a repeat of the abuse that happened after the World Cup,” she told Australian media outlet The Advertiser.“I woke up to social media noise… We are fine but they are attacking my friends and family.”Jessica also revealed similar abuse occurred after Australia’s win over India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, the World Test Championship final and the 2024 Boxing Day Test. At the time, even their young daughter received disturbing threats online.
She urged fans to be more respectful on social media.“I think in all sports right now there is an important dialogue around mental health and perspective and the way we talk to each other,” she added.“Passion will always be a part of the sport, but so is remembering that there are real people and families behind the game. We hope this will encourage more kindness and support for each other.”
What happened between Virat Kohli and Travis Head?
The latest controversy started during the IPL 2026 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
During RCB’s chase, Kohli and Head exchanged words on the field after Head asked Kohli to play more attacking shots. Kohli responded sarcastically by asking Head, who was playing as an influential player, to come himself. Once Kohli was out, Head responded by saying that he did not get a chance to play, which Kohli supposedly did not like. After SRH won the match by 55 runs, Head tried to shake Kohli’s hand during the post-match greeting. However, Kohli passed by without replying, while he greeted the other SRH players normally. The moment quickly went viral on social media and sparked intense reactions online.