Ishan Kishan has failed to live up to the most expensive player tag in this IPL, but the Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper-batsman is unconcerned, claiming that even the finest cricketers “struggle” at times.
MI paid a hefty Rs 15.25 crore for the 23-year-old at the IPL auction earlier this year. With the help of three half-centuries, he scored 370 runs in 13 matches at an average of 30.83.
Ishan Kishan on his form
The Mumbai Indians’ dismal performances have been one of the biggest stories of IPL 2022. After losing eight straight games, the five-time champions became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. When a team is in such poor form, fingers start pointing, and Ishan Kishan is the first to be blamed.
Kishan’s egregious mistakes have sparked significant outrage, as he consistently gets dismissed on short deliveries. However, after his team’s tight three-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, the wicketkeeper-batsman was vociferous about his form. He looked in good form throughout the game, scoring 43 runs off 34 balls and contributing to a 95-run opening stand with skipper Rohit Sharma. He also justified his year’s low scoring rate.
“Even the biggest of players (can struggle), I have seen the likes of Chris Gayle taking time (to start hitting). In cricket, it can never be sure that you have just one role and I will just go out and hit the ball. If you think about the team, it is more important to understand your role,” Kishan said.
Ishan Kishan is MI’s second-highest run-scorer in this IPL, a statistic that reflects the side’s poor form. When Mumbai Indians paid INR 15.25 crore for the 23-year-old opener, he became the most expensive player in IPL 2022. The southpaw is Mumbai’s second-highest run-scorer this season, with 370 runs at an average of 30.83 in 13 games. In most of the IPL games, he has looked lethargic and gets trapped in the powerplay, which saps all of the momentum from the innings.
“If the opposition bowlers are bowling well you need to give respect to them and if you can save wickets it makes it easier for the batters coming later. There cannot be just one situation. Someday, you need to go all out when you are chasing a big total, you need to analyze the strength of the opposition team, whether they have good bowlers to bowl at the death or not, or whether we have to save wickets or not,” he added.
