IPL 2025: Kishan's ability to read situation, assess conditions in power-play stood out, says Finch

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) Former Australia T20I skipper Aaron Finch lauded Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) left-handed batter Ishan Kishan for his ability to read situations and making a proper assessment of conditions in powerplay, while hitting a match-winning 44 in his side’s five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday.

Kishan began IPL 2025 with a blazing hundred against Rajasthan Royals, but made only 33 runs in his next seven innings. But at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Kishan took his time to make a vital 44 off 34 balls to help SRH get their third win of the season.

"His ability to read the situation and not overplay his hand early on and be overly aggressive (stood out). He made sure he assessed the conditions, which is never easy because you want to maximise the powerplay. On the back of an early wicket, he assessed it and played nicely," said Finch on ESPNcricinfo.

Varun Aaron, the former India fast-bowler who knows Kishan well from his time playing for Jharkhand in domestic cricket, agreed with Finch’s glowing views on how Kishan played his innings well.

"He is one of those players who, if he gives himself time at the start, can take it really deep, and he did that. If you see the way he went about his innings, he wasn't playing anything rash right at the start. He kind of assessed the wicket and then went from there. His team must be really pleased. He had a string of really bad scores."

"I think he scored more runs in this innings than in his last seven innings. He would have been really disappointed not to take it home as it wasn't like a really good delivery (he got out to). There was a fielder right there (at deep midwicket) and he hit a straight down his throat," he added.

SRH took 18.4 overs to complete the chase of 155, and Aaron felt there were plenty of positives to take home for the 2016 IPL winners, who are now placed at eighth position in the points table. "Look, a win is a win. Sunrisers, at the position they were in, they would take this win and especially when Abhishek hasn't got runs, (Travis) Head hasn't got runs and (Heinrich) Klaasen hasn't got runs.”

“Ishan Kishan coming good, still not his best innings, I would say. But again, Nitish Kumar Reddy guiding them home at least... So it's still a win. Yes, it was scratchy. It wasn't the easiest wicket to bat on but they have secured the win. SRH are not used to scrappy wins."

"They are used to absolutely steamrolling their opponents into submission and winning games. This is one of those games from which they would take some confidence out of and be like, you know what, we won that game, we can win games like that. We don't have to just go hard and win a game in ten or 11 overs." SRH will next face Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 2.

--IANS

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