Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 26 : Following Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), SRH batter Ishan Kishan reflected on leading the side in the absence of a returning Pat Cummins and also said that his best as a batter is yet to come.
Cummins returned to IPL action after an injury layoff, but that did not change Ishan's consistent run-scoring ways during this calendar year, as he scored a masterful 31-ball 74, with 11 fours and three sixes. Having led as a captain in the absence of Cummins, he led his side's chase of 229 runs with the bat.
During the post-match presentation, he said on captaining in the first half of the season, " It was quite fun leading the side for seven games, and Pat coming in, giving us that extra bowling power. So I was really happy when he was coming in the team anyway because he's such a tremendous captain anyway. So I was just thinking about my batting and wicket-keeping more than leadership."
On batting fearlessly, Kishan said that one has to keep playing his shots and not fear failure. Reflecting on the Jofra Archer bouncer that hit his helmet and went straight to the ropes for a six, Kishan said that the ball bounced extra than expected.
"I am happy to get six runs out of this. Sometimes, I think fortune favors the brave. So you just have to watch the ball and keep on going. I think that was a good learning session for me," he added.
On the run-chase, he continued that the team felt quite calm, and the important thing was having a good power play.
"Having Head and Abhishek as an opener, they make the job pretty easier for the rest of the batsmen, even if they bat for four overs. So I was just batting with them, communicating with Abhishek. He was well aware of the game, what was happening, what run rate was going on. So I was just playing my shots and we both, did a great partnership in the middle, which helped our team," he added.
Lastly, on if this is the best he is batting, Ishan said, "No, I think my best is yet to come."
Ishan is the second-highest T20 run-getter this year, with 844 runs in 21 innings at an average of 40.19 and a strike rate of 203.86, including a century and seven fifties. Before this, he was sensational for India in their T20 World Cup triumph, scoring 317 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.22 and a strike rate of 193.22, including three fifties and best score of 77.
On the other hand, the Orange Cap holder Abhishek Sharma said that he felt it was a "lucky day" for him with the bat. Speaking on facing bowlers like Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, he said he wanted to make some room for himself and trouble their line and lengths a bit.
"Once you achieve this kind of score and the way the team is playing, the top batters are performing in those powerplays, and the way the bowling side is coming back after that powerplay, I think it is a sign of a winning side probably. And I mean, you can feel that confidence in the team when we are even chatting and just sitting at the dressing room," he said reflecting on the confidence achieved from the win.
Speaking on Cummins' return, Abhishek said that while he was going to come back, Ishan's captaincy did not cause him (a vice-captain) to feel that they had a leadership void.
"Patty always knew that he is gonna come and lead the side. Of course, he is the leader, but the way Ishan did in those seven matches, I just did not feel that we were missing someone. But of course, Patty comes there and give you that extra experience within the side and the way he bowls in those crucial overs, it is always give you an extra confidence," he signed off.
After SRH opted to bowl first, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (103 in 37 balls, with five fours and 12 sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (51 in 35 balls, with eight fours and a six) put the foot on the pedal with a 112-run partnership. A cameo from Donovan Ferreira (33 in 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes) towards the end took RR to a fine 228/6.
Eshan Malinga (2/38) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH, while Pat Cummins, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain and Nitish Kumar Reddy got a wicket each. Sakib, however, leaked 62 runs in his spell.
During the run-chase, after early dismissal of Travis Head (6), a stand of 132 runs between Abhishek Sharma (57 in 29 balls, with 11 fours and a six) and Ishan Kishan (74 in 31 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes) and knocks from Heinrich Klaasen (29 in 24 balls, with three fours and a six) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36 in 18 balls, with two fours and three sixes) took SRH to a win by five wickets and nine balls to spare.
SRH has jumped to third spot with five wins and three losses, including 10 points, while RR is at the fourth spot with the same win-loss record, with a poorer net-run-rate keeping them down.
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