It wasn’t Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, or even Heinrich Klaasen. The day belonged to Sunrisers Hyderabad’s new hero, Ishan Kishan. In his tenth IPL season, playing for his third franchise and batting at number three, Ishan dismantled a hapless Rajasthan Royals attack on a flat pitch to produce a breathtaking maiden IPL century.
His stunning 106 off just 47 balls was a masterclass in effortless stroke-play, ensuring SRH posted a mammoth total of 286. He hammered 11 fours and 6 sixes, but none were as exquisite as the two towering sixes over covers off Jofra Archer.
The RR bowlers threw everything they had at him, but nothing could stop the Ishan Kishan juggernaut. With a vast array of shots in his arsenal, he is almost impossible to bowl to when in full flow. From the very first ball, he looked determined to make it count. It wasn’t wild slogging. It was pure timing, precision, and clean hitting. The hallmark of his innings was his impeccable footwork and ability to pick the length early, making life miserable for the bowlers.
Ishan had an impressive pre-season with SRH, showing aggressive intent during the intra-squad matches.
“I had a lot of time, I was practising a lot, worked hard on my batting. The preparation was good,” said Ishan after scoring the hundred.
He carried that form into his team’s first game of the season, smashing the RR bowlers to all corners of the park. His style of batting aligns with the the brand of cricket SRH plays.
“We have to enjoy whatever your game-play is. You have to plan accordingly, don’t be afraid of getting out,” underlined Ishan.
The moment he reached the landmark, he jumped, roared, and ran. He expressed pure emotion, as if to declare he truly belongs on this stage. It is the perfect start to his redemption journey.
Around the same time last year, Ishan faced heavy criticism for skipping domestic cricket with Jharkhand. He was part of the Indian squad during the 2023 tour of South Africa but left midway due to a personal break. Reports of his absence didn’t sit well with the BCCI, leading to his exclusion from the central contract list. Alongside Shreyas Iyer, he was left out of Indian team selection for the rest of the year. Ishan played the last domestic season but couldn’t quite light up the scene.
For him, this season is not just about runs. It is about redemption and making a strong case for a national team comeback. The competition is fierce, but if he outperforms his rivals in the race for the most runs, a recall is well within reach. Ishan looks hungrier than ever. He has started the season brilliantly. Now it is about maintaining that momentum and finishing strong.