Players facing their former teams is a common theme in the Indian Premier League, especially in the first year of a new auction cycle. Memories are still fresh, and fans tend to associate a player with their former teams. Gujarat Titans’ Mohammed Siraj is a classic example. Siraj, who represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for seven seasons, crashed RCB’s homecoming with a Player of the Match performance earlier this season. Mumbai Indians would want to avoid a similar event when they host the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mumbai tonight.
Ishan Kishan & Mumbai Indians: The Heyday
Ishan Kishan joined Mumbai Indians as a 19-year-old boy in 2018. Mumbai bought him for ₹6.2 crore in the 2018 mega auction. The three retained players – Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya — and Krunal Pandya, the Right to Match (RTM) pick — were the only ones to get paid above Ishan Kishan’s ₹6.2 crore. Kishan took time to get adjusted to the Mumbai Indians atmosphere, scoring just 376 runs in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Most importantly, he was given the time to prove his mettle. The left-hander from Jharkhand repaid the faith with his belligerent hitting in the 2020 season. He finished as MI’s top-scorer with 516 runs at a strike rate of 146 and helped MI to successfully defend their title.
The downfall
The fortunes of Mumbai Indians and Ishan Kishan coincided with each other. Mumbai couldn’t add to their five IPL titles in the next four years, and Kishan couldn’t replicate his lofty hitting standards.
Ishan Kishan’s auction price of ₹15.25 crore in the 2022 mega auction remains the highest price MI has paid to a player in the auction. The management decided to retain five capped players and Kishan couldn’t make the cut ahead of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. Kishan also lost his place and the central contract with the national team.
Ishan Kishan’s records with Mumbai Indians
Most expensive auction pick – ₹15.25 crore
6th most runs: Matches – 89, Runs – 2325
Fastest IPL fifty: 16 balls vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
Most prolific batting pair: 1,868 runs with Rohit Sharma
Ishan Kishan and Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ishan Kishan’s IPL 2025 started on a dreamy note. Batting at the no.3 position, Kishan smashed a century on his debut game for Sunrisers Hyderabad. His next four scores reflected his team’s form. Scores of 0, 2, 2, and 17 resulted in four straight defeats. The former MI batter knows the pitch and conditions at the Wankhede Stadium. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult will be aware of Kishan’s strengths and weaknesses as well. Kishan’s runs could very well mirror the outcome of the game.
Stay updated on all the action from the IPL 2025. Check the IPL 2025 Schedule, track the latest IPL 2025 Points Table, and follow the top performers with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
