Aakash Chopra believes IPL 2025 offers Ishan Kishan a chance to revive his cricket career after being acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 11.25 crore. Despite his talent and a record-breaking ODI double century, Kishan has fallen off the national selectors’ radar, overshadowed by other wicketkeeper-batters like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Released by Mumbai Indians, he faces competition from SRH’s strong opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, potentially slotting him into the No. 3 position. Chopra highlights the evolving dynamics of batting order in Indian cricket, suggesting Kishan can reclaim his place in the national squad.
IPL 2025: Archive image of Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad© AFP
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra is of the opinion that Ishan Kishan has an incredible chance to revitalize his career in the forthcoming IPL 2025 after being acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the mega auction. Chopra remarked on how Kishan has seemingly vanished from the national selectors’ consideration, despite showcasing solid batting skills. “For some reason, he has entirely dropped off the radar. It’s as if no one is discussing him or recognizing his value. He even participated in the Ranji Trophy and scored runs, yet he remains largely unmentioned,” Chopra stated on his YouTube channel.
Kishan, who was let go by Mumbai Indians (MI), was purchased by SRH for ₹11.25 crore in the IPL auction held last November. Nevertheless, SRH already boasts a robust opening pair in Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, who were among the most dynamic openers last season. As a result, Kishan may need to adapt to the No. 3 position, a role he has filled on occasion but is not his primary position.
Despite achieving a remarkable ODI double century (210 runs off 131 balls) against Bangladesh in December 2022, Kishan found himself out of the playing XI, with Shubman Gill favored as the opener. Since that time, he has struggled to secure a spot in the squad across all formats.
Within the wicketkeeper-batter category, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Sanju Samson have been chosen over him for international fixtures. Additionally, Kishan lost his BCCI central contract last year.
“You can return to consideration once again. A keeper-batter who has the ability to open or bat in the top order is a valuable asset. Gautam (Gambhir) mentioned that they are all coaches in a train; everyone is headed to the same destination, and it doesn’t matter if a coach is at the front or the back. This essentially conveys that batting order has become irrelevant in Indian cricket,” Chopra elaborated.
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