Travis Head and wife Jessica face online abuse after Virat Kohli IPL spat

Travis Head and his wife Jessica have been subjected to a barrage of online abuse after the Australian cricketer became embroiled in a heated exchange with India great Virat Kohli during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match.

The incident took place during the T20 clash between Head's Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. Heated words were exchanged before Kohli was dismissed for 15, with his side eventually suffering a 55-run defeat.

At the end of the match, during the customary handshakes, Kohli reportedly ignored Head's outstretched hand but greeted other players.

Following the match, the Instagram accounts of both Head and Jessica were flooded with abusive comments, allegedly from supporters of the former India captain.

Jessica told The Advertiser that friends and family had also been targeted with hateful private messages. 

"I woke up to my socials blasting... we are fine but they are attacking my friends and family," Jessica said.

"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," she added.

She also said it felt like a "repeat of the abuse that happened after the World Cup", referring to the 2023 50-over tournament when Australia beat hosts India in the final in Ahmedabad.

Neither Head nor Kohli has publicly commented further on the incident, while the IPL has not issued any official statement regarding the online abuse directed at players' families at this time, so far.