Once sidelined and questioned, Ishan Kishan answers critics with a fiery ton for SRH, becoming the first Indian to score an IPL century for the franchise.
Hyderabad, March 24: Redemption in cricket is never handed over—it’s earned in sweat, silence, and searing spotlight. And for Ishan Kishan, that moment of personal triumph arrived under the floodlights at Uppal, clad in orange.
Dropped from India’s central contract list and criticized for skipping domestic duties, Kishan went back to the grind—scoring centuries across formats, captaining Jharkhand, and waiting for his turn. On Sunday, it all came full circle as he smashed a match-winning century for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)—his first in the IPL, and the first ever by an Indian for the franchise.
Walking in at No. 3 after a blazing 45-run start by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, Kishan immediately took charge. He punished spinners like Maheesh Theekshana with precision and dispatched express pacer Jofra Archer for three massive sixes, racing to a half-century in just 25 balls. His fireworks turned Archer’s spell into the worst in IPL history: 0/76 in 4 overs.
As the SRH flags waved and the Uppal crowd roared, Kishan showed no signs of slowing down. He blazed past the 90s with consecutive sixes and sealed his maiden IPL hundred with a spirited double, celebrating with a roar that mirrored both relief and resurgence.
SRH piled up a towering 286/6, which proved enough to overpower Rajasthan Royals, despite their valiant 242/6 in reply.
For Kishan, this knock wasn’t just about runs—it was a statement. With India’s T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon and fierce competition among wicketkeeper-batters like Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, Jitesh Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel, Kishan has re-entered the race with authority.
Just a season ago, he had managed only 320 runs in 14 IPL 2024 matches. But he turned the tide in the domestic circuit—scoring tons in the Buchi Babu Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Ranji Trophy—his only miss being the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s.
Reflecting on his resurgence, Kishan credited SRH’s calm dressing room environment, and praised skipper Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori for backing his natural game.
“The environment is so calm and composed. The message is clear—just back yourself. Whether you come in early or when there’s a mountain of runs on the board, you play your game without fear. That freedom has made the difference,” he said during the post-match presentation.
With this century, Kishan has reminded everyone—not least the selectors—that form is temporary, but class and hunger are eternal.