According to Ishan Kishan, timing appeals correctly instead of making excessive ones can help gain the trust of umpires.
The Indian wicketkeeper admits his perspective on appealing from behind the stumps has changed. He believes that constantly appealing can irritate umpires. Kishan also took a playful jab at Mohammad Rizwan, citing the Pakistani cricketer as an example. In a lighthearted comment, Kishan joked that if you appeal for almost everything like Rizwan, umpires might not even give a clear out.
Rizwan has often been criticized for his frequent appeals, something Kishan himself was once guilty of. However, he claims to have changed now.
Former international umpire Anil Chaudhary also noticed Kishan’s transformation behind the stumps. In a video posted on social media, Chaudhary shared a conversation with Kishan regarding this change.
“You’ve played many matches under my umpiring. You’ve matured now. You appeal only when needed. Earlier, you used to appeal a lot. How did this change happen?”
In response, Kishan explained why he changed his approach to appealing, referencing Rizwan — a comment that quickly went viral on social media.
“I feel umpires have become smarter. If you appeal every time, they might not even give a clear out. It’s better to appeal once when you genuinely think it’s out. That way, umpires trust that we appeal only when it’s justified… If you keep appealing like Rizwan, they won’t give an out even if it is.”
Currently playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL, Kishan isn’t taking up wicketkeeping duties. The franchise has handed the gloves to South African Heinrich Klaasen.
