SRH on Wednesday shared a video in which Ishan spoke about his new challenge — leading the side.“I am very overwhelmed, and I am very happy that I got this opportunity to lead this team. And, to be very honest, I am going to just keep it simple, not to do so much because when players come for IPL, I think they are all very good players. You just need to make sure that they are on the right track,” Ishan said.“And their mindset does not change after a few innings, going here and there. And the rest is, you know, it is going to be a good season, I guess, and we will just do it together. I think there is lots and lots and lots of learning in this season because I will tell you, in the last few years, I have understood one thing, the most important thing for a cricketer is to be in a very good headspace throughout the season,” he added.“So, mostly this season, we will make sure we just stay in the present, we just keep it simple and do as much hard work as we can before the match starts. But in the match, we are just going to enjoy the game and take one match at a time,” he added.Ishan had a stellar 2026 T20 World Cup, scoring 317 runs at an average of 35.22, with a strike rate of over 193.“It was, I feel, the best few days of my life because, you know, joining the team suddenly and winning the World Cup with the team, so it was one of the best moments. Because, you know, there was a lot of hard work going on. Players were, a few of them were not in form, but when the time was there, when it was needed the most, everyone played the best possible cricket. And we just tried to play the best role in the team, and I think we all achieved greatness with that this season,” he said.Ishan also spoke about the power of manifestation, saying he always believed he would make a big comeback.“When I was not in the team, there was no–I mean, how do I explain it? There was always this feeling that I would make it to the team anyhow, because I knew that the amount of hard work I would do would be the most important thing. And you know, you always need to believe in yourself,” he said.It was the domestic grind that helped Ishan build his path to the biggest prize in T20I cricket, as he led Jharkhand to its maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title last year, topping the charts with 517 runs in 10 innings, including two centuries and two fifties.“This will be a message to I feel so many guys, whoever is losing track or whoever is not believing in themselves, and they should know that they are supposed to believe and just keep on working hard. Things will change,” he signed off.

A couple of months later, Punjab Kings snapped up the youngster for Rs 3 crore at the IPL mini auction.“Luckily, he was there, and we had a good conversation. It was all about cricket,” Cooper Connolly told TimeofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.

Cooper Connolly with his fellow Australian teammate Marcus Stoinis at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mohali. (Photo Credit: Punjab Kings)

“Look, he’s a world-class player. I love watching him bat. It just looks so easy. So it would be nice to pick his brain, understand him a bit, see how he goes about batting in Indian conditions, and put into practice what I can for my game in India. I’m just looking forward to learning from him,” said Connolly on playing alongside Iyer.Cooper Connolly said his primary goal is to gain experience, learn from top players, and challenge himself against the best in the IPL. He expressed gratitude for being picked by Punjab Kings, calling it an honour, and is eager to grow under the guidance of the coaching staff and captain Shreyas, regardless of whether he gets to play.

“It felt so nice when the paddle went up. It was obviously nice,” he said.“I think the main goal initially was just hoping that I would get picked up.“Now it is just to go there, experience some quality cricket against some quality opposition, and learn from some quality players at Punjab and obviously a great coaching staff at Punjab.

Cooper Connolly (left) with jhis Punjab Kings teammates Marcus Stoinis and Priyansh Arya. (Photo Courtesy: Punjab Kings)

“The moment one of the paddles went up for me was just a moment where I thought, OK, I’m going to go and challenge myself against the best in the world. It’s obviously nice to get auctioned off for more than what I thought. It’s just an honour to be a part of it and challenge myself against some quality opposition and just try to learn as much as I can, whether I play or not. I’m just looking forward to getting over there and learning and honing my skill sets,” he said.For Cooper Connolly, it has been a rollercoaster few months. He has made his international debut for Australia in all three formats and bagged an IPL contract. He admits that he has not had the chance to reflect because it has been surreal.The youngster did not have a good series against Pakistan, where he looked all at sea. Then, in the T20 World Cup, he played only two matches and did reasonably well: taking three wickets in two games.

He [Shaun Marsh] is someone I can approach for a chat about cricket and his approach. More than anything, it’s the way he plays that I try to model my game on, how he gives himself a chance in every format, his timing, and his ability to find the boundary. For me, it is about reaching out to him when the time feels right.

Cooper Connolly | Punjab Kings

Now at Mullanpur, the youngster will have a chance to work with ex-Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, and over the next two-and-a-half months, he will have a chance to correct his technical glitches and become a more well-rounded all-round prospect.The Perth-born Cooper Connolly, who has modelled his batting on Shaun Marsh, is also looking to emulate his idol.“He’s someone I can approach for a chat about cricket and his approach. More than anything, it’s the way he plays that I try to model my game on, how he gives himself a chance in every format, his timing, and his ability to find the boundary. For me, it’s about reaching out to him when the time feels right.

Poll

What aspect of Cooper Connolly’s journey excites you the most?

“He’s been really good to me. I’ve always enjoyed watching him bat, and even now I go back to his highlights, especially his hundreds. It’s about picking certain attributes from his batting and trying to incorporate them into my own game, because he was world-class,” said Connolly.Punjab Kings will play their first match on March 31 at home against Gujarat Titans, and Connolly has teamed up with the squad and is ready for the biggest few weeks of his career, which could shape his future.