Mumbai: The 17th season of the IPL seemed like an ongoing celebration of power-hitting from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and this trend appears to have continued into the league's current phase. With two left-handed batsmen already making an impact at the top of the order, a third has now joined their ranks. Last year, Hyderabad witnessed its franchise redefine T20 batting as a cohesive unit, and the sea of orange was once again energized by another explosive batting display to commence this season.

SRH kicked off their 2024 home campaign by achieving an astonishing score of 277/3. They surpassed this in 2025, reaching 286/6 while delivering a 44-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma were the standout left-handers during last year's match against Mumbai Indians. While both contributed significantly again, it was Ishan Kishan who stole the spotlight on Sunday afternoon with an impressive unbeaten 106 off just 47 balls while batting at No. 3.

With arms outstretched, the left-hander celebrated his first IPL century on his debut for SRH, having previously been a long-time member of the Mumbai Indians.

The fact that this milestone was achieved with a team that holds the top three highest totals in IPL history—Sunday’s 286 being just one run shy of SRH’s record set in 2024—cannot be mere coincidence. The culture of freedom fostered by last year’s runners-up is enabling some of the best power-hitters to thrive, and Kishan appears poised to flourish in this environment as well. The promising start certainly suggests as much.

Kishan remarked during a conversation with the broadcaster, "The atmosphere here is quite distinct. The captain, Pat Cummins, grants considerable freedom to all players, regardless of whether they score heavily or get dismissed early. This is the type of confidence that every player requires."

This mindset is also reflected in the approach of every SRH batsman, who aims to seize momentum right from the start. While this strategy does not always yield results, when it succeeds, it can quickly overwhelm opponents, as demonstrated against RR.

As was frequently observed last season, the foundation of SRH's substantial totals was established by Head (67 off 31 balls) and Abhishek (24 off 11 balls). Riyan Parag, who captained RR in the absence of Sanju Samson, who was utilized solely as an impact player, set the stage for the aggressive pair.

Abhishek skillfully navigated the leg-side field set by left-arm bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi, using his footwork to open up the off-side. Head unleashed a ferocious attack on Jofra Archer, with a remarkable pull shot that travelled 105 meters, highlighting a 23-run over.

Although Abhishek was dismissed by Maheesh Theekshana in the fourth over, Kishan quickly responded with two consecutive boundaries. While the first was a fortunate edge, the SRH batsmen benefited from some luck that day, and their aggressive approach was rewarded.

Following the 94-run Powerplay, Kishan struck the first ball for a boundary. Sandeep Sharma attempted to change his pace, but Head adeptly read and capitalized on the slower deliveries.

Once the Australian batsman was out at the halfway point, Kishan took charge. England's Archer, who recorded the most expensive figures in IPL history (0/76), faced the brunt of Kishan's onslaught. A top-edged six elicited laughter from Archer, but that quickly turned to a smirk as Kishan sent one over point and then smashed another flat through cover.

The team reached 200 runs in just 14.1 overs before Nitish Reddy (30 off 15 balls) was dismissed, while Heinrich Klaasen (34 off 14 balls) continued to push the score. Kishan's consecutive sixes in the 19th over hinted at the ambitious possibility of a team total of 300, only for Tushar Deshpande to claim two wickets shortly thereafter.

Like MI last year, RR too had their moments in the chase. The 111-run blitz between Samson (66 - 37b) and Dhruv Jurel (70 - 35b) after RR were 77/3 in the Powerplay was a positive. So was the late flourish by Shimron Hetmyer (42 - 23b) and Shubham Dubey (34* - 11b) after the Indians fell in quick succession. Yet, like SRH’s opening home game script last year, the target proved just too tall for RR.

Read Also: Vignesh Puthur: MI Sensation Shakes Up CSK's Middle Order, Receives Praise from MS Dhoni

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!