Sunrisers Hyderabad wicket keeper batsman Ishan Kishan Played a composed but aggressive hand in a thrilling five-wicket win. Rajasthan Royalsas he chased down leadership, batting independence and a mammoth target of 229. Speaking after being adjudged player of the match for his 31-ball 74, Kishan made it clear that captaincy has not changed his style. “No, I think as a wicketkeeper you have to do the same thing. So I was keeping it simple because I felt it was a very good wicket to bat on and we just tried to reduce them to 230 and we managed to do that.” On handing back leadership duties Pat CumminsCushion was full of respect for the Australian captain. “It was great fun leading the team in seven games and Pete coming in, which gave us extra bowling power. So I was really happy when he was coming into the team anyway because he is a great captain anyway. So I was thinking about my batting and wicketkeeping more than leadership,” he added. Reflecting on SRH’s aggressive batting style against the Rajasthan attack, Kishan said confidence and clarity are key. “You just have to keep watching the ball and play your shots. You can’t go 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, highlighting the importance of a strong powerplay. “When you’re chasing a total of 228, you need a good powerplay. Having Head and Abhishek as openers makes things easier even if he’s batting for four overs. I was just talking to Abhishek. He knew exactly what was going on with the game and the run-rate.” An important partnership of 132 runs was formed with Kishan. Abhishek Sharmawho scored 57 runs off 29 balls, after SRH had scored 229 runs. Heinrich Klassen (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36) then ensured that the chase was completed with nine balls to make it the fourth most successful run chase in IPL history. Earlier in the day, Rajasthan Royals scored 228 for 6, with a sensational 103 from 15-year-old Vibhu Suryavanshi. Despite the onslaught, SRH held their nerve in the chase, with Kishan and Abhishek setting the platform for a commanding win. Kishan also reflected his mindset at the crease. “Comfort is about the skill set. You have to look at the ball and not be predetermined. It was a big ground, so there were gaps. Just bat and enjoy it.” When asked if this was the best phase of his batting career, he was quick to downplay it. “No, I think my best is yet to come.”
