Ishan Kishan made a successful SRH debut on Sunday, hammering a quickfire unbeaten ton against RR in style.
Ishan Kishan was a man on a mission on Sunday, as he proved his critics wrong with a sensational unbeaten ton for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Facing Rajasthan Royals in their season opener, Kishan hammered an unbeaten knock of 106 runs off 47 balls at a strike rate of 225.53, packed with 11 fours and six sixes.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Ishan Kishan celebrates his century. (Surjeet Yadav)
Kishan’s knock became the 12th fastest hundred in IPL history, as he reached the landmark in 45 balls. It also became SRH’s third-fastest ton in history.
Also Read: Harbhajan Singh embroiled in racism row after comparing Jofra Archer to ‘kaali taxi’, fans demand immediate ban from IPL
Before IPL 2025, Kishan had been experiencing a downfall in his status as India’s future opener. In IPL 2025, he could only manage 320 runs in 14 matches and it was a season to forget for the wicketkeeper-batter. Around this time last year, Kishan was also removed from the central contract list after he didn’t give time to the Ranji Trophy.
Opening up on that phase, Kishan said on Sunday, “I had a lot of time, I was practising a lot, worked hard on my batting. The preparation was good.”
Unlike other MI cricketers who practice at the franchise’s ground in Ghansoli, Kishan opened a cricket academy with his hard-earned money, in Patna. His own creation came to his rescue, as he began to train in the academy.
Ishan Kishan’s gruelling training sessions in Patna
According to PTI, a source confirmed, “He trained in two sessions every day. The morning session focused on cricket skills at his academy, lasting 2-3 hours and being very intense. In the evening, he would either do gym workouts or speed training for 1-2 hours.”
“Apart from this, he worked extensively on his mental game by analysing his own videos.
“He chose to train at his own academy in Patna, never traveling elsewhere, which allowed him to stay focused and put in consistent, dedicated work in his own environment.”
Chasing 287, RR crumbled for 242/6 in 20 overs, as Harshal Patel and Simarjeet Singh struck twice for SRH. Kishan batted at No. 3 and also performed as a fielder, with Heinrich Klaasen slotted in as the wicketkeeper.
Kishan last appeared for India on November 28, 2023, in a T20I against Australia. Meanwhile, his last ODI and Test appearances came on October 11, 2023 and July 20 of the same year.
In December 2022, Kishan smacked 210 runs in 131 balls in an ODI match vs Bangladesh, becoming the youngest player to bag an ODI double ton, and first to convert maiden ODI century to a double hundred. It is also the fastest ODI double hundred in cricket history.
