Ishan Kishan (ANI) of Hyderabad Sunrisers Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper-palter Ishan Kishan played a steady but aggressive hand in their thrilling five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals as he contemplated leadership, batting freedom and chasing a massive target of 229. After being named man of the match for his 31-ball 74, Kishan made it clear that captaincy has not changed his approach. “No, I think as a wicketkeeper you have to do the same job as well. So I just kept it simple because I felt it was a very good wicket to bat on and we just tried to restrict them below 230 and we did it,” he said. Kishan was full of respect for the Australian captain as he handed over the leadership duties to Pat Cummins. “It was quite fun leading the team for seven games and Pat coming in and giving us that extra bowling power. So I was really happy when he came into the team anyway because he’s such an amazing captain. So I was just thinking about my batting and wicketkeeping more than leading,” he added. Reflecting on SRH’s aggressive batting approach against the Rajasthan attack, Kishan said confidence and clarity were key. “You have to keep watching the ball and playing your shots. You can’t get into a zone where you’re afraid of failure. You just have to keep it simple and play your game.” He also spoke about the challenge of facing a rising total early in the innings and emphasized the importance of a strong power play. “When you’re chasing a total of 228, you need a good power play. Having Head and Abhishek as openers makes the job easier, even if they’re batting four overs. I just interacted with Abhishek. He knew exactly what was going on with the game and the run-rate.” Kishan put on a vital 132-run partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 57 off 29 balls after SRH reached a daunting 229. Heinrich Klaasen (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36) then ensured the chase was completed with nine balls to spare, making it the most successful fourth PL chase I in history. Earlier in the day, Rajasthan Royals posted a massive 228 for 6, powered by a sensational 103 from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Despite the onslaught, SRH held their nerve in the chase with Kishan and Abhishek setting the platform for an impressive win. Kishan also reflected on his mindset at the crease. “Composure is about skill. You have to watch the ball and not be predetermined. It was a big pitch so there were gaps. Just hit the ball and enjoy it.” When asked if this was the best phase of his batting career, he was quick to play it down. “No, I think the best is yet to come.
