15.25 crores. The figure was such that it would send a chill down anyone’s spine. And when a young man of 23 has to justify this price tag, it can turn into the kind of pressure that’s too much to bear. Firstly, Ishan Kishan did not orchestrate the price in 2022. His franchise found him worthy enough to pay that amount, and he had no hand in it. So, for anyone to say ‘Oh, he was paid 15 crores’ was actually unfair on the young man.
Call it the pressure of expectations or the pressure of the price tag, but Ishan did not have the best of seasons in 2023 and 2024. So much so that his franchise, Mumbai Indians, was forced to release him ahead of the mega auction. His India career also nosedived and he made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
While he made a strong comeback with a 100 at the Buchi Babu, the truth is that no one watched it. He had to make a statement in the IPL with millions watching in order to make himself relevant again. Batting with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma was another challenge for Ishan. They have redefined the IPL batting template, and Ishan has to compete to stay abreast. Not only did he do so yesterday evening, but he eventually outperformed both Head and Abhishek in scoring the first 100 of this season’s IPL.
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That’s what forces me to ask the question – how difficult was it for someone like him? While it is fantastic for the player and the family to be paid many crores, once things settles down, the money can be a huge burden to deal with. All of a sudden, people started to expect the world from Ishan. It was as if because he had been paid the high price, he had to do extraordinary things in every game. To what extent could he cocoon himself from the outside pressures and look inward? All he needed to do was focus on his cricket and leave out the noise. Easier said than done. When social media trolls are at it all the time and question you 24×7, things do get to you, more often than not.
While it is easy to say and write, it is certainly not easy to do in real life when intrusiveness is at an all-time high. That’s why his 100 yesterday was testament to what he is capable of. His ability to handle pressure and deliver the goods. Whatever happens from here on in the competition, Ishan will be a better cricketer after this IPL. A better person who is better equipped to deal with the world. And that, at the end of the day, is a far bigger life lesson than anything else for the young man.
We don’t know if SRH will make the play offs. We also don’t know if Ishan will get an opportunity to make a comeback into the India set-up. But what we do know is that Ishan is now used to handling pressure. In the very first match, he has delivered for SRH. One can only wish that he builds on the momentum and makes it his season.
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