IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan puts debate over 'pressure of big price tag' to rest with blitz against Delhi

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Mumbai, March 27: Talented Mumbai Indians' wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan proved he's not impacted by the pressure of a big price-tag as he slammed an unbeaten 81 off 48 deliveries against Delhi Capitals in his team's opening game on Sunday (March 27) in IPL 2022.

Ishan, who emerged as the costliest buy of the season when Mumbai Indians re-bought the southpaw for a whopping bid of Rs 15.25 crore, opened the batting with Rohit Sharma at the Brabourne Stadium and carried his bat through and guided his team to post 177 for 5 after being put in to bat first.

Ishan's knock was laced with 11 boundaries and two sixes and the youngster batted with maturity to guide his team through to a respectable total on a good batting surface.

Impressed with the MI opener's batting former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan explained why the franchise opened their bank to go after the pint-size dynamite during the IPL auction and the southpaw delivered.

Speaking on the Star Sports show, Cricket Live, the former India all-rounder said, "Mumbai Indians team management will be the happiest after Ishan's innings because they made a huge bid on him in the auction. The owners came up with a plan that 'we're going after Ishan no matter what.' And what happened after that? Ishan did what they wanted, he not just started things off brilliantly but also finished for them. It was a mature knock from Ishan."

India's spin great Harbhajan Singh also heaped a lot of praise upon Ishan. The Turbanator - who was part of the Mumbai Indians' set up for 10 years - on the show said, "Ishan has come out as a mature player. When Rohit Sharma was out, he took the batting upon himself and decided that 'I have to play till the end'. With this knock, he's proven how capable he is as a batter. I am a fan of this guy. Once I bowled to this guy in a match and he hit two or four sixes against me. Watching him bat like that I was clear that he's going to be an amazing player and now I sit back and enjoy his batting whenever he walks into the middle."

Before the start of the match, the Ranchi cricketer claimed that every time he walks on the cricket pitch, he keeps the price tag outside the field and all that matters to him is the team's win.

Speaking during an episode of Cricket Live on Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the IPL, the Mumbai Indians' opening batsman said, "I received a good bid when I first joined Mumbai Indians but after joining the team I learnt that when we walk into the middle there is no such thing as price tag because team's victory is more important. In the end, it's the result that matters. Instead of taking outside pressure on the pitch, I look to focus on my game and that's my constant endeavour."