Ishan Kishan’s new dawn: From uncertainty to IPL glory with Hyderabad

Dubai: Ishan Kishan walked into Indian Premier League 2025 with more questions than answers. His career had stalled, his confidence had taken a hit, and he was starting fresh with a new franchise. But on Sunday, under the Hyderabad sun, he delivered a statement — not just to his critics, but to himself. A blistering, unbeaten 106 off 47 balls powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a colossal 286/6, setting the tone for a season of redemption.

The left-hander’s nervousness was understandable. After pulling out of India’s Test squad due to mental fatigue and family commitments, he lost his place in the national side. Worse, Mumbai Indians — his IPL home since 2018 — chose not to retain him. Just three years after being the most expensive player at the 2022 auction (Rs152.5 million), Kishan found himself in limbo.

But Sunrisers Hyderabad saw potential where others saw decline. They secured him for Rs112.5 million at the 2024 auction in Jeddah, and Kishan repaid their faith in spectacular fashion. His knock, laced with 11 fours and six sixes, propelled SRH to the second-highest total in IPL history — just one run short of their own record (287/3 against RCB last year).

After the match, Kishan credited his turnaround to captain Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori.

“The nervousness was there, but Pat and the coach gave me a lot of confidence,” he said. “The environment is so calm. I just enjoyed my time in the middle. I was practising a lot, working hard on my batting, and the preparation was good.”

Kishan’s job was made easier by Sunrisers’ top order. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head blazed away, setting up the perfect launchpad. Hyderabad’s relentless aggression left Rajasthan Royals reeling, missing key bowlers Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Chasing 287, Rajasthan’s hopes were dashed early when Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Riyan Parag fell in the second over. Regular captain Sanju Samson, brought in as an impact substitute, counter-attacked with a 66-run knock. Alongside Dhruv Jurel (70), he put on 111 runs for the fourth wicket. But with the required run rate soaring past 20, their fightback only delayed the inevitable.

Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 23) and Shubham Dubey tried to minimise the damage, ensuring Rajasthan at least crossed 240 to keep their net run rate in check. But in the end, they finished well short at 242/6, handing SRH a resounding 44-run win.

Cummins, leading Hyderabad for the first time, was pleased with the all-round performance.

“Unbelievable. We get 280-odd, and it’s scary. You know it’s going to be tough, but when you have such a big score, one over can win it for you. Ishan was incredible today,” he said.

For Rajasthan, Parag’s captaincy debut was a baptism by fire. While he won the toss, little else went his way, as England pacer Jofra Archer endured a nightmare outing, leaking 76 runs in four overs.

“Tough, as I’d expected. Credit to SRH, but we could’ve executed better. We’ll sit down and chat on how we can improve. Wins or losses, we take the learnings and move on,” Parag reflected.

For Kishan, this innings was more than just a century — it was proof that he still belongs at the highest level. From the uncertainty of last season to the certainty of his bat speaking for him, his redemption arc has begun. And if his knock against Rajasthan is any indication, the IPL 2025 season might just be the stage for his grand comeback.