The IPL 2026 season is all set to kick off soon and will be inaugurated on March 28. As scheduled, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first match of the tournament to be played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
It will be the first game to be played in the venue after a stampede occurred following RCB's title win in IPL 2025. The stadium will host cricket again and fans are excited about the commencement of the IPL 2026 season.
In the meantime, India and SRH batter Abhishek Sharma has made an interesting revelation regarding his teammate Ishan Kishan.
Not CSK & RCB, Ishan Kishan Has a Different Preference
Chennai Super Kings and RCB have always been favorite teams among many players owing to star players such as MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli and most young cricketers aspire to share the dressing room with them.
However, Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan has a different choice. Speaking on a podcast, Abhishek Sharma said that Ishan wants to play for Punjab Kings in the future.
The statement is quite surprising, as the 25-year-old has already played for Mumbai Indians and currently represents Sunrisers Hyderabad. Even so, Ishan's interest in playing for Punjab Kings sheds light on a unique aspect of his career aspirations.
Why Does Ishan Kishan Prefer Punjab Kings?
Abhishek Sharma has further revealed that the Indian player likes the way PBKS players face failures and come back stronger with a positive mindset each year.
Punjab Kings is one of the few franchises in the IPL that has failed to win the title. They have reached the final in the 2014 and 2024 seasons of the Indian Premier League but unfortunately ended up on the losing side against Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru respectively.
This statement from Ishan Kishan clearly indicates his appreciation for the team's spirit and determination. He feels that it is something special that the team's management and players recover from tough seasons, thereby making him keen to be a part of them in the future.
Big Season Ahead for the SRH Duo
In the IPL 2026 season, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma are all set to play a vital role for the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise. The duo, both left-handed batsmen will probably be opening the batting for the team.
In the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 recently, Ishan and Abhishek's performances were not the same, although team India won the title by defeating the New Zealand.
While the southpaw is expected to continue his exceptional form in the Indian Premier League 2026, the other opener is expected to improve on his below-par performance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.