IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why SRH should gun for Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan sits right up the echelon of the young, Indian match-winners with the bat in today's era and will be in heavy demand at the IPL 2022 Auction. The 23-year old Jharkhand lad has gone on to don the national colors and has showcased his prowess at a really young age in his career too.

Having been released ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction by Mumbai Indians (MI), Ishan Kishan is a hot property who will generate a lot of interest. One of the franchises who should surely have their eyes set on Kishan's services at the IPL 2022 Auction is Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

SRH are eyeing a fresh start at the IPL 2022 Auction

The 2016 champions SRH finished with the wooden spoon in IPL 2021, ending a solid run of five consecutive seasons in the playoffs. SRH have parted ways with David Warner, arguably the face of the franchise, and were unable to come to financial agreements with Rashid Khan either ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction.

Needless to say, SRH will head into the IPL 2022 Auction with a reboot in mind and to that end, Ishan Kishan could turn out to be a great fit for the side. Here are 3 reasons why:

#1 Ishan Kishan can form part of a solid Indian nucleus

Having represented India in both limited-overs formats, Ishan Kishan's career has barely taken off. Kishan is touted to form a major part of the Indian team in the years to come with his aggressive batting and tidy wicket-keeping.

Over the last few seasons, the lack of a reliable Indian setup in the SRH ranks has transferred a lot more emphasis on their overseas players. If SRH are to pick themselves up after a disappointing 2021 season, their focus will have to be centered around a long-term Indian core.

The franchise has taken a positive step in that regard with the retention of both Abdul Samad and Umran Malik prior to the IPL 2022 Auction. Adding Ishan Kishan to this setup would go a long way in ticking off this box. Kishan's best years are only ahead of him and thus, SRH should grab this opportunity and invest in him at the IPL 2022 Auction.

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#2 Kishan will solve SRH's wicket-keeping woes

Kishan in action against Hyderabad in the IPL

SRH have struggled with assurance over their wicket-keeper's spot in the XI over the years. Naman Ojha showed flashes of brilliance during his stint between 2014-17 and was able to execute his role as a floater owing to the presence of the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh.

Since 2018, Wriddhiman Saha's long run with injuries has seen him in and out of the SRH lineup while Shreevats Goswami wasn't able to leave a mark. While Jonny Bairstow has been one of the team's shining stars, the fact that he was an overseas player affected the balance of the setup.

SRH would therefore be keen on an Indian wicket-keeping option at the IPL 2022 Auction to settle this issue for good. To that end, there won't be a better option in the market than Ishan Kishan.

An enforcer in the Powerplay, Kishan also offers the team a left-handed option and is sure to feature in the XI on a regular basis. He could well turn out to be the solution for a long-standing issue that has crippled SRH over the years, which is why the team must go after him at the IPL 2022 Auction.

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#3 Kishan could be a potential leader in future

Kishan is a good wicketkeeper as well

Kane Williamson has been retained as the captain of SRH ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction. That said, SRH would like an Indian option with suitable leadership potential as Williamson's deputy, considering concerns over his long-standing tennis elbow injury.

Ishan Kishan has led the Indian U19 team in the past and was at the helm of the side that made the final of the World Cup in 2016. Having also led Jharkhand in domestic cricket with reasonable success, Kishan offers SRH an option they can look to invest in for the long run.

A wicket-keeper is widely seen as a natural leader, given the bird's eye view of the game he gets from behind the stumps. Come the IPL 2022 Auction, SRH will have to factor this in mind and go all out for Ishan Kishan's services. Considering Ishan Kishan walks into any XI in the IPL, it would be a win-win for SRH should they procure him, wouldn't it?