Ishan Kishan’s Journey from Mumbai Indians to Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ishan Kishan, the vice-captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, has had an interesting journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He began his IPL career with the Mumbai Indians from 2009 to 2017. However, he later moved to the Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he has found greater success and recognition.
Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu, who has played for several teams in the IPL, shared his insights on Kishan’s development. Rayudu believes that Kishan struggled to grow within the Mumbai Indians due to the presence of many stars in the team. He mentioned that competing against such a strong lineup made it challenging for Kishan to stand out.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo Time Out, Rayudu said:
“But for someone like him [Kishan], growing up in a franchise like Mumbai, he wants to be a superstar – he is a superstar in his own right now – but back then to compete against all the stars around him would have been very, very tough.”
Rayudu also highlighted the importance of knowing when to switch on and off during a game. He explained that while experienced players understand this, younger players often find it difficult.
“Those guys know when to switch on in terms of their game, when to come back. But a lot of these young boys don’t know how to switch off and how to switch on. That’s a big challenge and I’m sure he has learnt and he has learnt it the hard way.”
Kishan’s Rise with Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad signed Kishan during the 2025 auction, and since then, he has become one of the team’s standout performers. As of the 2026 season, Kishan is currently fifth in the Orange Cap standings with 569 runs from 14 matches. His average of 40.64 and a strike rate of 178.36 highlight his consistent performance.
One of his most notable performances came in a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he scored an unbeaten 79 off 46 deliveries. This innings earned him the Player-of-the-Match award and marked his sixth score of over 50 in the season.
Interestingly, Kishan had never previously recorded more than three fifty-plus scores in a single IPL campaign. Rayudu praised Kishan’s improved shot selection, noting that in his early years, he sometimes made poor decisions at the crease.
“His shot selection has improved big time. In his initial years, we have seen him make some wrong decisions in terms of shot selection. But here we saw him making the right call most of the time.”
The Impact of Captaincy on Kishan’s Game
Rayudu also pointed out that Kishan’s experience as a captain for Jharkhand helped him gain a better understanding of his own game. He noted that taking on leadership roles can transform a player’s approach to the game.
“I think his captaincy for Jharkhand made him realise a lot of things about his own game as well. Sometimes when you get captaincy, people transform into better batsmen and he is one of them who has massively improved in terms of clarity.”
Conclusion
Ishan Kishan’s journey from the Mumbai Indians to the Sunrisers Hyderabad has been marked by growth and development. His performances in the 2026 season have solidified his position as one of the top run-scorers in the IPL. With improved shot selection and a better understanding of his game, Kishan is proving to be a valuable asset for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. His ability to adapt and learn from his experiences has made him a key player in the team’s success.
