Watch: Ishan Kishan picks five IPL openers he would love to bat with; Snubs Virat Kohli & Chris Gayle

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter Ishan Kishan revealed his top five favorite opening partners in IPL history, naming the players he enjoys batting with the most. Notably, the wicketkeeper-batter excluded some of the T20 tournament’s greatest openers, including Chris Gayle, David Warner, and Virat Kohli.

The IPL 2025 began on Saturday, March 22. In T20 cricket, openers play a vital role in setting the tone for their team, especially during the powerplay overs. A strong opening pair can maximize scoring opportunities in the first six overs, which can set the platform for the middle order.

Watch: Ishan Kishan Picks Five Openers He Would Love to Bat With

Speaking to the Crick Fantasy Boss YouTube channel, Ishan Kishan named his top five preferred opening partners in IPL history. He included legendary Indian batters Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, along with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Abhishek Sharma.

Ishan did not include any of the all-time top five run-getters as openers in IPL history. Shikhar Dhawan (6362 runs), David Warner (5910 runs), Chris Gayle (4480 runs), Virat Kohli (4411 runs), and KL Rahul (4183 runs) are among the leading run-getters as openers in IPL history.

Have a look at the video right here:

Ishan Kishan's Top 5 Openers in IPL, He would love to Open with:

- Virendra Sehwag.
- Sachin Tendulkar.
- Rohit Sharma
- Shubman Gill
- Abhishek Sharma pic.twitter.com/H3pu0e0nb7

— Sports Culture (@SportsCulture24) March 26, 2025

Ishan Kishan Smashed Maiden IPL Century Against Rajasthan Royals

Ishan delivered a stunning performance in SunRisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) opening match of IPL 2025 against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Batting at No. 3, Kishan smashed an unbeaten 106 runs off just 47 balls. Notably, it was his maiden IPL century, helping SRH amass a total of 286/6 in 20 overs.

Kishan was bought by SRH for ₹11.25 crore at the mega auction. After his innings on Sunday, the southpaw revealed that he had called teammate Abhishek Sharma to ask whether he needed to attack every ball, given the team’s bold approach. His knock set the tone for SRH’s dominant start to the tournament.

Ishan Kishan to Be in Action Next in IPL 2025 Clash vs LSG

Ishan Kishan's century is a significant turnaround in his career after a difficult phase. The wicketkeeper-batter lost his BCCI central contract in early 2024 and had an underwhelming IPL season the same year, which kept him out of contention for the T20 World Cup and other national assignments.

Kishan has been absent from the Indian team since November 2023, last playing in a home series against Australia.

With India having a talent pool in the T20 format, the 2025 IPL is crucial for players eyeing a spot in the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. Kishan faces intense competition as he looks to reclaim his place in the national setup.

SRH will play their next match against Lucknow Super Giants in Hyderabad (LSG) on Thursday, March 27.

Also read: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to be demoted in BCCI Central Contracts? Massive update arrives from Mumbai