The past one and a half years have been tumultuous for Ishan Kishan. He was dropped from Team India on charges of indiscipline, lost his central contract, and was dropped by the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians. Amidst widespread disappointment, the 26-year-old aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman silenced his critics by scoring a century in his first IPL match for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday. After the match, Ishan Kishan disclosed the secret behind his explosive batting. He shared, “After the auction, I directly called Abhishek and asked what you guys expect from me. Should I play a shot on every ball as soon as I come in? He immediately responded – absolutely, that’s your job.” The second match of IPL 2025 was held at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday, where SRH started their season with a 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals. Reflecting on the challenging year, Ishan acknowledged it as a learning experience. Upon receiving the ‘Player of the Match’ title for his maiden IPL century, he admitted, “I was a bit nervous. Pat (Cummins) and the coach gave me a lot of confidence. The atmosphere is very calm. I enjoyed my innings on the field.” Cummins praised Kishan’s performance at the award ceremony, stating, “Kishan was unbelievable today. He played freely and has set a benchmark for the rest of the matches this year.” Kishan also expressed gratitude towards his captain for showing faith in him, saying, “He knows what to do for the team. We have to move forward while enjoying our game and making our plans without the fear of getting out.”