In a surprising moment during the IPL 2025 encounter between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, Ishan Kishan walked off the pitch under unusual circumstances, leaving fans and analysts questioning his decision. The left-handed batter had barely opened his account when he attempted to glance a delivery from Deepak Chahar, which drifted well down the leg side. The ball did not touch his bat, nor was there any appeal from wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton or Chahar. Even the umpire, Vinod Seshan, appeared ready to call it a wide.
Yet, despite no visible or audible edge and zero appeal, Ishan voluntarily walked back to the pavilion, leaving the crowd and commentators stunned. Replays confirmed there was no contact between bat and ball, which further intensified the confusion over why Kishan chose to walk. This moment quickly became a hot topic on social media, with fans and former cricketers alike expressing shock.
Former pacer Varun Aaron, speaking to ESPNCricinfo, called the moment “appalling,” stating, “It was quite bizarre. He obviously felt he hit it, but with no appeal or review from the field, and a hesitant umpire, he should’ve gone for a review. His recent form has already been poor, with an average of just 5.50 in his last seven games. It’s hard to understand this.”
Nick Knight echoed Aaron’s confusion, saying, “I was watching it live, and I would definitely know if I hit the ball. This entire scenario was strange. The umpire was not going to give him out, then sees Kishan walk and signals out – it was all too messy. Just let the umpire do his job.”
Even Manoj Tiwary joined the conversation, tweeting, “Ishan Kishan’s dismissal today against Mumbai Indians? I’m waiting to hear from Ishan himself, what was he thinking at that time? Baffling.”
This strange incident added to Sunrisers Hyderabad’s woes, as they could only manage 143/8 in their 20 overs. Mumbai Indians chased down the target easily in 15.4 overs with seven wickets in hand. The defeat pushed SRH further down the points table, now in ninth position with only two victories from eight matches, significantly denting their playoff hopes.
