"MI, Mumbai, and the paltan will always remain in my heart" - Ishan Kishan bids adieu to Mumbai Indians after IPL 2025 auction
Indian keeper-batter Ishan Kishan's seven-year stint with Mumbai Indians recently came to an end. The 26-year-old was released by the five-time champions ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega action.
Mumbai were the first ones to place a bid for Kishan when his name was drawn at the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier this month. However, they stopped bidding once the figure crossed ₹3.20 crore.
The southpaw was ultimately roped in by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹11.25 crore. Following his departure from MI, Kishan shared a heartfelt note on social media, bidding the franchise adieu after a memorable run.
Thanking the MI management, players, coaches and fans for their unwavering support, Kishan wrote on Instagram:
"So many memories with all of you, so many moments of joy, happiness and growth. MI, Mumbai, and the paltan will always remain in my heart. I’ve grown as a person and a player with all of you by my side. We say goodbye with memories that will stay with me for life. Thank you to the management, coaches, the players I’ve played with and all you fans for always being in my corner."
It is worth mentioning that Ishan Kishan was first picked by MI for ₹6.20 crore at the IPL 2018 auction. The team went all out in the subsequent mega auction in 2022, shelling out a whopping ₹15.25 crore to re-sign the swashbuckling batter. He played 89 matches for Mumbai and scored 2,325 runs at a strike rate of 136.84.
"Let's play with fire" - Ishan Kishan's message to SRH fans after IPL 2025 auction
Ishan Kishan expressed his excitement at joining the Hyderabad team ahead of the upcoming 2025 edition of the IPL. He mentioned that he is keen to work with the SRH players and support staff.
The stumper also had a message for the SRH fans. Here's what he said in a video shared by the franchise on its official Instagram account:
"Hi, Hyderabad. I am super stoked to be joining this incredible team and be part of this amazing franchise. Looking forward to work with each one of you, and Orange Army, let's play with fire."
SRH had an impressive run in IPL 2024 but failed to clinch the coveted title. An eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) resulted in a runners-up finish for the Pat Cummins-led side.