“My heart skipped a beat” - Ishan Kishan explains why he was worried for MI amid bidding war for him at IPL 2022 Auction

Ishan Kishan has revealed that he was worried when the intense bidding was going on for him at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 Auction. The wicketkeeper-batter explained that he knew Mumbai Indians (MI) would go for him, but added that as his price grew, he got anxious since the franchise needed money to purchase other key players as well.

Kishan entered the auction at the highest base price of ₹2 crore. Apart from MI, Punjab Kings (PBKS), Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also entered the bidding race to snap him up. In the end, MI bagged the southpaw for a whopping ₹15.25 crore, making him the most expensive purchase at the auction.

Sharing his views on the auction and the bidding war for him, the 23-year-old told TOI in an interview:

“I knew MI would go for me. That wasn't the worrying bit. The worrying part was the rising price because MI needed to save on money to build the rest of the team. It wasn't just about me. For a minute there, I must admit, my heart skipped a beat.”

On why he was keen to return to the Mumbai franchise, the aggressive left-hander explained:

“There's a reason why I wanted to come back to MI. They know me, they understand my game and I know my franchise and how it works. Because I've been part of this family, I was sure I didn't want to go anywhere else. I've been here four years and the bonding has been amazing. We've won two trophies, stood for each other and with each other, they know my cricket and I know they will take care of me. So, I didn't want to go anywhere else.”

Kishan was the leading run-getter for MI when they lifted the IPL title in 2020. He amassed 516 runs from 14 matches at a strike rate of 145.76.

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“I can never have complaints” - Ishan Kishan hails MI franchise

Asked to shed more light on his association with the Mumbai franchise, the youngster explained that MI have backed him and invested in his future.

He elaborated:

“The franchise has always been very helpful, has backed me and worked on me. I can never have complaints. All I need to do is work hard on my game, reciprocate by playing good cricket. The way they've put their belief in me and invested in my future, all I need to do is follow the processes that have been laid out.”

Having made his IPL debut in 2016, Kishan has featured in 61 matches, scoring 1452 runs at a strike rate of 136.33.