Ishan Kishan's Stellar Performance Earns Praise from Grandfather

Grandfather Commends Kishan's Captaincy

Anurag Pandey, the grandfather of Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan, expressed his pride following Kishan's impressive innings of 91 runs off 44 balls against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) during an IPL match on Monday. Kishan, who served as the stand-in captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), played a crucial role in leading his team to a total of 216/6, ultimately securing a 57-run victory.

Kishan's aggressive batting was pivotal, especially after opener Abhishek Sharma was dismissed on the first ball. His innings included eight fours and six sixes, showcasing his skill and determination.

In a conversation with a news outlet, Pandey shared his joy over Kishan's performance, noting that he narrowly missed a century by just nine runs. He expressed hope that Kishan would continue to excel as captain, stating, "I am pleased with his performance. He fulfilled his captaincy responsibilities with that innings. I wish him continued success in leading the team. SRH performed admirably against the Rajasthan Royals, who had previously been unbeaten in IPL 2026."

Debutants Shine in Match

Pandey also praised the two debutants for SRH, Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge, who made significant contributions against RR. The uncapped duo combined to take eight wickets, with each bowler achieving a four-wicket haul, effectively dismantling the RR batting order. "What delighted me even more was the performance of Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge," he remarked.

Praful Hinge's Impressive Debut

In his first IPL match, 24-year-old Praful Hinge was named Player of the Match after taking four wickets. He made an immediate impact by dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius in his opening over, followed by the RR captain Riyan Parag in his next over, finishing with remarkable figures of 4 wickets for 34 runs.

Sakib Hussain's Performance

Sakib Hussain also made his mark by claiming the important wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first over. He continued to excel by taking down Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, and Ravi Bishnoi, concluding his spell with impressive figures of 4 wickets for just 24 runs.

Current Standings of SRH

As it stands, SRH is positioned fourth in the points table with two victories out of five matches. They are set to face the Chennai Super Kings in their upcoming match on Saturday at their home ground.