With his 44-ball knock of 91 runs against the Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Ishan Kishan hit his second fifty of this IPL season. The 27-year-old, who was announced as the captain of SRH this season with Australian pacer Pat Cummins not available for the first few weeks of the tournament, Kishan has also been wearing the wicket-keeper’s hat along with the captain’s hat. On Monday evening, Kishan did not keep wickets with Salil Arora taking over from him. Post the match, Kishan shared how not donning the gloves helps him in captaincy, discussing plans with the bowlers and setting more time with the fielders and how donning the wicket-keeper’s role resulted in some miscommunication with the players. “I think, you know as a captain, I felt there was some miscommunication going on. You know, sometimes when you are keeping, the time is not there. You are not able to communicate with the bowlers about the plans. So I think it’s better to be there, discuss with them when they are going to bowl so that we can set the field accordingly. And that was the plan and I think it worked pretty well for us. Hopefully, yes, this is the way forward,” said Kishan in the post match presentation. ALSO READ | Praful Hinge was his teachers’ cautionary tale. His mother learned cricket by checking his scores. Then he took four wickets on IPL dream debut. Hyderabad has so far scored two wins in IPL this season with three losses. Kishan who was bought by the franchise for Rs 11.40 crore in the mega auction in 2024, has so far played in 19 matches for the Hyderabad side. Last season, Aussie pacer Cummins had captained Sunrisers Hyderabad and the team had finished sixth in the points table with a total of 13 points. Former South African captain Faf du Plessis termed Kishan getting runs is helping him as a captain. “Ishan would know his role is twofold. One is Ishan Kishan the batter and role he plays in that team and then secondly as a captain. We saw it tonight. How important it is for him and his own captaincy. Just to score runs. Because what that does is it just gives you confidence. You walk around the field knowing that you have done your job. And then when you walk on the field, your decisions are clear, your thinking is clear because you are on your own head, around your own form and your own batting. So it’s always connected to how you play and how you captain,” Plessis told JioHotstar. Story continues below this ad While Cummins is expected to join the Hyderabad side in next few days, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Kishan has done well as a captain of the side. “Ishan wants to score runs but he wants to lead the side. This is what it shows. He has not taken the gloves in his hand and he wants to be on the field. He wants to speak with the players. He wants to have clear communication between the bowlers and him. So he has actually made things very clear. Going forwards, obviously I would like to see Livingstone in and get a chance. He has done well. He has made things very clear. And the management is backing him. “It is important to actually trust your leader. He is a young leader. Pat Cummins is your first choice captain. He is actually a leader in place of him. So good on SRH camp to trust him and give him whatever he wants. As far as being one the field. Being onboard the boundary line being involved, being communicated with the players very clearly and it has certainly worked for him tonight,” said Pathan on JioHotstar.
‘As a captain, I felt there was some miscommunication going on…’: Ishan Kishan on his decision to not to keep wickets
