Hardik Pandya acknowledges difficulty in retaining Ishan Kishan
What's the story
Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, Hardik Pandya, has admitted the difficulties his team encountered in retaining Ishan Kishan during the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction.
Kishan, who had been a vital cog for MI for over six years, was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹11.25 crore.
Although MI made the first attempt to bring Kishan back, they pulled out as Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings joined the race.
Emotional farewell
Pandya pays tribute to Kishan's impact on MI
In a touching video shared by MI, Pandya spoke about how much he would miss Kishan. He called Kishan the "freshness" and "energy" of the team, who always kept spirits high in the dressing room.
"Ishan has been the 'freshness' and the 'energy' of the room," said Hardik. He added they knew it would be difficult to get him back from auction because of his skills and personality.
Player transition
Kishan's legacy at MI and future with SRH
Pandya also praised Kishan's natural ability to spread love and warmth in the team, adding that his absence would be felt.
He concluded his message by calling Kishan MI's "pocket-dynamo."
Since his debut in 2018, Kishan has been a consistent performer for MI.
In the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last week, he was bought by SRH for ₹11.25 crore after intense bidding.
Career
Kishan's IPL journey and stats
Kishan was bought by Mumbai Indians for a staggering Rs. 15.25 crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction.
He performed consistently for them over the last three years.
Coming to his IPL numbers, he has played 105 matches and scored 2,644 runs at an average of 28.43 with a strike rate of 136.
The tally includes 16 fifties with a best score of 99. 2,325 of his runs have come in 89 games for MI at 29.80.