Out of MI’s Shadow: Ishan Kishan’s Exit Sparks Century and a Strong Message
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Ishan Kishan's pursuit of a return to the Indian national team continued on Sunday as the wicketkeeper-batter achieved his first century in the IPL at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad during the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals. Former England captain Michael Vaughan suggested that Ishan's exuberant celebration was directed towards BCCI's chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, as well as India captain Rohit Sharma and his previous team, the Mumbai Indians.
Ishan was released by the Mumbai Indians during the mega auction last November, after which Sunrisers Hyderabad invested in the Indian star. He justified their confidence with an impressive performance in his debut for the franchise on Sunday. On a pitch conducive to batting, Ishan struck 11 fours and six sixes, finishing with an unbeaten 106 runs off 47 balls, contributing to SRH's formidable total of 286/6, the second-highest in IPL history.
In the aftermath of his innings, Vaughan commented to Cricbuzz that Ishan's enthusiastic celebration at the Hyderabad venue was a declaration of his intent to return to the national team. He acknowledged the significant pressure on the selection committee led by Agarkar, given the wealth of talent available in Indian cricket.
"That celebration was not merely a reaction to reaching three figures today," Vaughan remarked. "It was a message to Mumbai, to the chairman of selectors, to Rohit Sharma, to all of India, and perhaps to the entire world. He is an exceptionally well-rounded player."
"I would relish the role of chairman of selectors. The discussions would be extensive due to the multitude of players to consider, and you might find yourself saying, 'Sorry, Ishan, you're not even in the top five right now.' The talent pool in Indian cricket is immense. The only way to secure a place in that setup is by achieving extraordinary feats. In T20 cricket, scoring a century is particularly challenging compared to other formats."
'Ishan Kishan needed to come out of dysfunctional MI setup'
Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, who was also part of the panel, suggested that Ishan's performance was influenced by the change he needed, noting that distancing himself from the "dysfunctional MI setup" proved beneficial for him.
"Sometimes, a change is essential. A different environment can make all the difference. We discussed how problematic the Mumbai setup was last year. For him to transition into this new environment and achieve what he did is significant," he remarked.
"Recall that he came in right after Abhishek was dismissed and continued the momentum we discussed, emulating the approach of Travis Head and Abhishek. One of his first two deliveries went for four down the ground, and from that point on, he appeared unstoppable. This illustrates how a fresh environment, new coaching, and straightforward messages can rejuvenate a player. Suddenly, you feel capable again. I hope this serves as a catalyst for their success for the remainder of the season."
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