Follow UsThe Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were arguably the strongest batting side in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year.
Even this year, in the 18th edition of the competition, despite the mega auction and the teams reshuffling in between, SRH have somehow managed to strengthen their batting this season by introducing another swashbuckling top order batter in Ishan Kishan at number three in their batting lineup. He justified the trust shown in him by the management by becoming the first-ever SRH batter to hit a ton on debut.
The SRH openers began their season on a fiery note in Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals; Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head started with a bang and collected 45 runs in just 19 deliveries as Sharma departed for an 11-ball 24.
However, Ishan Kishan didn’t let that wicket affect the run-scoring and, along with Head, continued to pulverise the Rajasthan bowlers into submission. Kishan smashed two fours in his first three deliveries and continued the onslaught that he had begun right from his arrival.
With Head going ballistic at one end, Kishan kept on the hitting ante from his end and didn’t even spare Jofra Archer, smashing him for three sixes in the 13th over after Head was out in the 10th. He added 72 runs in just 29 deliveries after that with Nitish Kumar Reddy, bringing up SRH’s 200 in just 14.1 overs, the joint-fastest ever in the history of the IPL.
With one big hither joining Kishan after the other, he remained not out till the end and brought up his 100 in just 45 deliveries in the penultimate over of the first innings. He ended up with 106 in 47 deliveries, smashing 11 fours and six sixes in his innings. It was the third-fastest hundred ever for SRH, with the quickest being scored by Travis Head in just 39 deliveries in 2024. The second fastest came in 43 deliveries by David Warner. Notably, this is also the first century of the 18th edition of the IPL.
39 balls - Travis Head vs RCB in Bengaluru, 2024
43 balls - David Warner vs KKR in Hyderabad, 2017
45 balls - Ishan Kishan vs RR in Hyderabad, 2025
With him being out of favour in the Indian side, Kishan had come with a point to prove in this season of the IPL. Safe to say, the first impression he presented of his batting was more than good enough for the selectors to take serious notice of him.