IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan should return to Mumbai Indians to open again, says Mohammad Kaif

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has suggested that Ishan Kishan should return to the Mumbai Indians (MI), as he would get the opportunity to open the innings there. Kaif pointed out that Kishan performs best as an opener, whereas at his current franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), he has been batting at number three, a position where his effectiveness noticeably declines. On paper, SRH’s top order featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Kishan looked formidable.

However, despite the strong lineup, the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) champions have faced issues with Kishan’s inconsistency. After scoring a century in the opening match of the season, his form dropped significantly as the tournament progressed. In 55 innings as an opener, Kishan has accumulated 1733 runs at an impressive average of 33.98. In contrast, when batting at number three, he has managed only 532 runs at an average of 26.60.

“Ishan Kishan is a better batter at Wankhede. He will open if he plays for MI. At SRH he is playing at three. There is a huge difference. He has not got that advantage playing at three. Despite taking him at a high price SRH have not been able to give him the right slot as it is not available,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

“Maybe Ishan would be requesting himself to go to Mumbai if any deal is possible because he will get to open there. It is a very good option for Mumbai if they can get Ishan. Having an Indian keeper and opener will give them the option to play some other foreign player then,” he added.

After smashing a quickfire century against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2025 season, Kishan shared an interesting insight during the post-match press conference. He revealed that immediately after being picked up by SRH in the auction, he had reached out to Abhishek to understand what the team expected from him for the upcoming season. The left-hander was SRH’s most expensive buy at the auction, fetching a whopping INR 11.25 crore.

“(After the IPL auction) I straightaway called Abhishek (Sharma) and asked, ‘what are you guys expecting, do I have to come and hit each and every ball?’ He was like, ‘on point, yeah, that is your job, you come here and you hit each and every ball, you just enjoy this team.’ That is the best part,” Kishan said in the press conference.