Why Harbhajan Singh thinks letting go of Ishan Kishan may have cost Mumbai Indians dearly

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh appeared to take a subtle dig at Mumbai Indians after Ishan Kishan’s explosive knock for Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL 2025 campaign opener against Rajasthan Royals.

Sunrisers Hyderabad showcased their trademark aggressive batting style, dismantling Rajasthan Royals on a high-scoring pitch in Hyderabad. After Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head provided a blistering start, Kishan took center stage with an electrifying innings.

The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter started his innings with a streaky boundary but soon found his rhythm and never looked back. He raced to a 25-ball half-century before accelerating further to reach his maiden IPL century in just 45 deliveries. Kishan remained unbeaten on 106 as SRH posted a mammoth 286/6—the second-highest total in IPL history.


Harbhajan, impressed by Kishan’s performance, suggested that Mumbai Indians might have made a mistake by letting him go.

"I felt MI lost twice today. They lost their game, and the player (Ishan) they left played a sensational knock for SRH," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.

He also hailed Sunrisers Hyderabad as the most formidable team of the season, given their relentless batting approach. "This team is the most dangerous. Ishan made a comeback and showed everyone his true capability. He made me his fan," he added.

Despite a spirited effort from Sanju Samson (66) and Dhruv Jurel (70) in Rajasthan’s chase, the daunting target proved too steep. Rajasthan Royals eventually fell short by 44 runs, handing Sunrisers Hyderabad a dominant start to their IPL 2025 campaign.

(With inputs from ANI)