Calm, composed and unstoppable: Ishan Kishan driving SRH’s title dream

“It's just about watching the ball and playing your game,” said an overjoyed Ishan Kishan after winning his third Player of the Match award in the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. It was the result of another match-winning innings (79 off 46) that allowed SRH to climb onto a humongous score of 255/4 in their 20 overs, which eventually set up a 55-run victory.

It was also the second successive award for the wicketkeeper-batter, who earlier scored a composed 70 (47) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to see his team home in a tricky 181-run chase, which sealed their spot in the playoffs. Kishan is in a golden period of his cricketing career, currently among the top five run scorers of the season with 569 runs from 14 innings, having registered six fifties.

Within a span of five months, he has remarkably transformed his career, which had hit a roadblock in 2024, following some reported non-compliance with the BCCI’s mandate of playing domestic cricket. The consequences were far-reaching for the 27-year-old as he was removed from the BCCI’s central contract list and lost his place in the team.

A comeback for the ages

However, Kishan took the setback head-on and earned his right to don the coveted blue jersey again by guiding Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) triumph in 2025. Leading from the front, he not only topped the run-scoring charts for the tournament with 517 runs from ten innings but also won the Player of the Match in the final, for scoring a breathtaking century (101 off 49).

Following the historic win, Kishan not only knocked on the selectors’ doors but broke it down with the thunder of his willow and earned a well-deserved spot in the Indian T20I team. Another 317 runs (second highest in the team) during India’s historic T20 World Cup 2026 triumph on home soil saw Kishan collect his second T20 title within three months.

Evolution of Kishan the batter

He’s now on a quest to complete a hat-trick by guiding SRH to IPL 2026 triumph. Ever since his international comeback, Kishan has looked like a different player, oozing a strong sense of calmness, no longer in a rush to prove himself.

It’s that maturity that has rubbed off on his game, as his presence at the crease alone is enough to send a sense of assurance to his teammates.

“More than maturity, it's about shot selection. So, when to play which shot, who to target. So I'm just trying to take one ball at a time, know the situation, understand the pitch and just play your shots. End of the day, you need to feel confident in the middle. And if you're feeling that way, just make sure you play those good shots,” said Kishan in the post-match presentation after receiving his Player of the Match award against RCB.

Eyes on completing a unique hat-trick

When Kishan said that he’s just focusing on the ball, he wasn’t lying. The wicketkeeper batter is in a zone, and outside of it, nothing exists for him. There was a time when the noise around him threatened to drown out the cricketer within him. However, he now seems to have liberated himself from that internal battle. 

The southpaw no longer bats like a player trying to survive but like someone who has rediscovered joy. And given his Midas touch that he’s carrying everywhere, Kishan could well be the talisman that ends SRH’s ten-year-long wait for an IPL trophy.