In a season of unpredictability and squandered chances for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ishan Kishan’s batting form reemerging near the end of IPL 2025 has been a great positive. After going through a pathetic patch in the middle of the season, the electric wicketkeeper-batter has finally emerged again under the guise of two successive match-winning innings, showcasing the type of temperament and aggression that once made him one of the most feared top-order hitters in the T20 game.
Kishan’s 94 off 48 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Match 65 was not just a personal redemption, it was a much-needed reminder (of) what SRH could have been this season, had their top-order delivered all season. Kishan, who had earlier played with cavalier abandon in scoring 106 off 47 balls, now has two performances that really stand out in a disappointing season as a whole.
The Tale of Two Halves
Till the 12th match of his IPL 2025 journey, Kishan was left with just 125 runs aggregate in 10 innings (not including two not outs, his 106 and the 94), a fact that points to how Kishan has been struggling to find the output that was expected of him. Whether it was his dip in form, taking the weight of new expectations, or whatever else, Kishan failed to deliver when SRH needed him the most, which was through the complete month of April when it became clear SRH’s campaign for the play-offs was slipping away.
Anil Kumble, in his role as analyst for ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out, rightfully pointed to the drop-off of Kishan as a primary reason with SRH losing trajectory right in the middle of the season, “That certainly had a negative impact to the SRH performance”, he said, whilst discussing how others in the line-up like Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, failed to deliver post their heroic seasons of 2024.
After having a good start to the last year, Head has lacked consistency, and after being expected to be the lynchpin of the middle-order, Klaasen having a start-stop season, with Nitish Reddy often returning only to show colourful flashes did not give them that kind of stability. In a period like that, the burden on Kishan’s shoulders began to weigh heavier—and initially he failed to own that burden.
The Bravery of Acceptance
Saying that though, cricket is as much about mentality as it is about physical ability. Despite the media, and conversations surrounding his form, and even conversations on whether SRH would retain him next season, Kishan stood firm. Helmot, the team’s assistant coach, said that Kishan was under “a lot of pressure” entering the RCB clash, and he certainly suggested that his response was inspirational.
Impassioned as ever, Tom Moody said he was impressed with Kishan’s ”continued braveness to take the game on”, and that it was his “calmness” and the ability to show-up when and where it counts that may have sealed Kishan’s future at the franchise. “He made it look very clear today that he is being retained, if there was any doubt,” Moody said, emphasising how impactful that 94 innings was for the franchise not just in the day of the match but also for their retention strategy.
A Shift in Strategy for SRH
As a result of only having one match left in their season, SRH find themselves officially out of the race for the playoffs. Nevertheless, the last two matches were a boost for morale. They had their highest ever successful chase when they chased down 205+ vs. the Lucknow Super Giants and then followed it up with a 231/6 vs. RCB—huge two innings with the bat.
According to Helmot, SRH’s philosophy is to be aggressive, but smart. “We have never tried to chase or make over 200 every innings,” he explained. “But if you think that the surface is good and your batters can put partnerships together, then you can get those match-winning scores.”
It was obviously on full display vs. RCB, as Kishan, who was supported by the cameos of Klaasen and Aniket Verma, set SRH up for a nice score. RCB came close and put on a valiant chase but eventually crumbled under scoreboard pressure to give SRH the win by 42 runs.
What It Could Have Been
Frustrated fans and analysts alike will be asking: where was this version of SRH all season long? They had the capabilities of a strong top order and some experienced finishers. They should have been competing for the top four. As has been a recurring theme this season: inconsistent performances and collapses plagued them in a tight season.
Kishan’s form—too late for the playoffs but great for long-term planning—plays to both celebration and caution. The focus now for SRH is for next season. I am sure they will look to keep as many of these players as they can, but performance will determine who stays and who does not. Kishan can now be the explosive player around which more consistency can be platformed in 2026.
Final Thoughts
As the final curtains begin to fall on Sunrisers Hyderabad’s IPL 2025 campaign, fans can take some consolation from the sudden news that Ishan Kishan—the bat is finally talking. His late spa for form demonstrates that he has the talent, courage, and hard-heartedness to succeed in a high-pressure environment—and it is now SRH’s turn to build a competitive team around him that performs consistently.
