Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) struggles in IPL 2025 continued on Wednesday with a sixth defeat from eight games, this time at the hands of Mumbai Indians. But what stole the limelight wasn’t just their poor run—it was Ishan Kishan’s bizarre self-dismissal that left fans and former cricketers equally stunned.
The incident occurred in the third over of SRH’s innings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Facing Deepak Chahar, Ishan Kishan attempted to glance a leg-side delivery, missed it, and astonishingly, walked off the field without any appeal from the fielding side. Even MI wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton looked unsure, and neither Chahar nor captain Hardik Pandya showed interest in appealing. The on-field umpire Vinod Seshan had initially called the ball wide but reversed it and gave Kishan out after noticing the batter walking away voluntarily.
The controversy deepened when replays and UltraEdge confirmed there was no edge—raising questions about why Kishan, who scored just 1 off 4, chose to walk off.
Sidhu vs Sehwag: Conflicting Reactions
Former cricketers Navjot Singh Sidhu and Virender Sehwag offered contrasting opinions.
Sidhu sided with Ishan Kishan, but lambasted the umpire for giving him out without a single appeal:
“Buying trouble is as easy as pie, but the carrying charges run pretty high… Have you ever seen an umpire rule someone out without an appeal?” he wrote on X.
Sehwag, however, was brutally honest in his critique, calling Kishan’s action a clear “brain fade” moment.
“Ruk toh jaa… Umpire bhi paise le raha hai. Let him do his work,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz, urging players to let umpires decide rather than second-guessing. He also pointed out how such gestures—though made in the “spirit of the game”—can backfire without proper awareness of the situation.
Sehwag compared the incident to something Ricky Ponting often said during his playing days:
“My job is to bat. The umpire’s job is to make decisions.”
A Steep Fall From SRH’s Opener
Ishan Kishan’s form has plummeted since his remarkable century in SRH’s opener against Rajasthan Royals. In the seven innings following that knock, the wicketkeeper-batter has accumulated just 33 runs at an average of 5.5, a dismal return for someone retained for a hefty sum by SRH.
His self-dismissal has only added to the pressure, both on him and the Sunrisers camp, who now sit at ninth on the points table with just two wins in eight matches.
What’s Next for Ishan and SRH?
With a critical clash against Chennai Super Kings coming up, Ishan Kishan and Sunrisers Hyderabad need to find answers—and quickly. The playoffs are slipping away fast, and continued missteps like Wednesday’s could spell an early exit.
Will Ishan Kishan redeem himself in the coming games? Or will this odd dismissal be remembered as one of the most puzzling moments of IPL 2025?
