The IPL 2026 auction is fast approaching, and franchises have begun exploring trade options to fine-tune their squads ahead of the new season.
The teams that struggled in the previous IPL season are now on the hunt for impactful signings, aiming to reshape their squads through key trades before the auction. Meanwhile, several underutilised stars are also expected to seek fresh opportunities at franchises where they can play bigger roles, especially with many sides aiming to strike the right balance between experience and youth ahead of the mega event.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif named one such player – Ishan Kishan, the wicketkeeper batter, was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a whopping INR 11.25 crore in the last auction. He started off well with a century on debut, but after that, things went downhill for him as he failed to live up to expectations and showed inconsistency with the bat.
Kishan, who rose to prominence during his seven-year stint with the Mumbai Indians, was released before the previous auction due to limited retention options.
Kaif now feels a return to his old franchise could reignite Ishan’s confidence and bring out his full potential once again. He weighed in on the wicketkeeper batter’s struggles at SRH, suggesting the left-hander hasn’t been able to perform to his potential due to batting at No. 3 and would fare much better opening the innings at Wankhede for Mumbai Indians.
“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 Kishan would be requesting himself to go to MI”
The explosive wicketkeeper-batter scored 354 runs in the previous season at a strike rate of 152.59. Across his IPL career, he has accumulated 2,998 runs in 119 matches, including a century and 17 half-centuries.
Kaif further hinted that a potential reunion between Kishan and MI could benefit both parties, suggesting that the left-hander might be keen on returning to his former franchise, where he could reclaim his preferred opening role and give the team greater flexibility with their overseas combinations.
“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.