SRH practice match turns heated; Ishan Kishan gets a fiery send-off from Zeeshan Ansari

Ishan Kishan, leading in the absence of Pat Cummins, has already become a familiar part of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s build-up to IPL 2026, but one moment from an intra-squad practice game added an extra edge to the conversation around the franchise just days before the season begins. A brief exchange between Kishan and leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari during SRH’s warm-up match drew attention online, with clips of the incident quickly spreading across social media.

The timing of the moment made it more noticeable. Kishan is set to lead SRH in the early part of IPL 2026, with Pat Cummins unavailable at the start of the season, and the wicketkeeper-batter is one of the side’s key figures heading into the campaign. SRH’s pre-season simulations have therefore attracted added interest, especially as players compete for rhythm, roles and momentum before their opener.

Zeeshan gets the final word after Kishan’s assault

During the practice match, Kishan went after Ansari in one over and collected 20 runs, underlining the attacking intent that has become central to his T20 batting. Ansari, though, responded in the best possible way for a bowler; he dismissed the batter on the final ball of the over. What followed was a charged but brief face-off, with the spinner’s celebration and send-off prompting Ishan Kishan to stop and exchange words before walking away.

That sequence, naturally, was enough to trigger speculation. But it was more a competitive fire than any genuine tension within the camp. The exchange has been seen as playful banter, as the fans noticed the stand-in SRH captain smiling at the end of the incident. Practice matches often carry more intensity than their label suggests, particularly in an IPL environment where every performance can influence selection calls and team hierarchy.

Also Read: SRH face harsh ‘not a serious title contender’ verdict, bowling under fire: ‘Batting like that won’t help win IPL’

For SRH, the more meaningful takeaway may be cricketing rather than dramatic. Kishan appears to be in striking rhythm, while Zeeshan Ansari showed the nerve to hit back after taking punishment. From Hyderabad’s point of view, that is not a bad sign at all. If anything, the exchange served as an early reminder that within this squad, the fight for impact had already begun before the tournament itself. Notably, SRH will face the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the inaugural match of the season on 28th March.

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