Ryan Rickelton opens up about IPL pressure and personal growth after first half-century

But for South Africa's Ryan Rickelton, pulling on the royal blue and gold of Mumbai Indians (MI) felt somewhat familiar. After spending three seasons with MI's affiliate team, MI Cape Town, in the SA20, Rickelton's transition to the big stage of the IPL has been a little less daunting-though still packed with pressure.

At 28, Rickelton is a late arrival to the IPL but has quickly made his mark, particularly after being mentored by batting legend Hashim Amla in the SA20. The experience has helped Rickelton emerge as the leading run-scorer in the tournament's short history. And despite the differences between the squads, having some familiar faces in the MI camp has eased his integration into the Indian Premier League.

"It's been a nice introduction into the group, the family," Rickelton reflected after his breakthrough performance. "And of course, meeting Akash Ambani and everyone else has been special. It's not coming in completely blind, so that part has been easier. But make no mistake, the IPL is a different beast."

After a quiet start to his IPL 2025 campaign - scoring just 13 and 6 in his first two innings - Rickelton found his groove with a blistering 62 off 41 balls in Mumbai's win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The victory, by eight wickets and with 43 balls to spare, not only secured two points for MI but also boosted their net run rate-a crucial step after two losses.

But the IPL pressure is undeniable. "Opening the batting with Rohit Sharma, there's always going to be pressure internally and externally," Rickelton said. "Hardik (Pandya) was emphasizing, 'Raise intensity, this is our home ground.' We couldn't afford to start the season with three losses."

The IPL, Rickelton notes, brings a unique weight of expectation. "The standard here is incredibly high, and the conditions keep changing. You think you're watching these huge scores on TV-teams hitting 260-and you assume it's a free-for-all, but when you're out there, it's not that easy. The pressure internally is huge, but externally, it's massive too. You're playing alongside the world's best players, and that adds another layer of difficulty."

Though he admits that the pressure is tough to navigate, Rickelton is determined to adjust his game to help his team succeed. "It's hard. I'm not going to lie. I'm just trying to find my way through it and adapt my game to give the team the best chance."

In his third IPL innings, Rickelton's nerves were palpable. "I just really wanted to get a score to ease the nerves down," he explained. A couple of streaky boundaries early on allowed him to settle in, and he soon showed his attacking intent with three sixes off Sunil Narine, including one that brought up his half-century off just 33 balls. His five sixes and four fours in the innings helped MI chase down a modest target with ease.

"The relief was massive," Rickelton said with a smile. "Our first two games were tricky, especially on tough wickets. But getting through that and getting a score under my belt felt like a weight had lifted. More than anything, it was about getting those two points for the team."

Rickelton's next challenge will be to replicate his success on the road, with MI set to face Lucknow Super Giants at their notoriously low-scoring home ground. But having found some comfort at the Wankhede, where the extra bounce suits his style, he'll be hoping to build on his momentum.

"The Wankhede has been a bit of a blessing," he said. "But the real test will come on the road. We'll have to see how we perform in those tougher conditions."

For now, Rickelton's focus remains squarely on helping MI regain their rhythm after a rocky start. With the pressure only likely to increase as the season progresses, he's ready to embrace the challenge and continue his growth as one of the IPL's most promising new faces.

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