CHENNAI: When R Sai Kishore delivered a Player of the Match performance (4/33) for Gujarat Titans against Punjab Kings in late April, he was the talk of the town. 'How can he not start every match? What more does he have to do?' The debate continued as the Tamil Nadu all-rounder was in and out of the playing XI that featured Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad.
Sai Kishore, at the time, was not worried one bit. In fact, after the match, while admitting that it (not getting regular starts) plays a part, Sai Kishore told the broadcasters, "I feel the team comes first and just try to make yourself ready for the opportunity. Just work hard, be honest, be true to yourself. That has not gone out of trend I feel."
He was content and enjoyed what he did best on the field. However, little did he know what was to come. On one of the days that followed, Sai Kishore went to play golf, hit 20 oddballs, had his share of fun and returned. But the next day he woke up, the 27-year-old had a stiff neck. The pain only got worse through the day and he had to leave the tournament midway.
"It was a freak injury," recalls Sai Kishore in a conversation with this daily. "I have been playing golf for five years, suddenly this happened. That day I did not expect (it at all). I hit very few balls, maybe 20 or so. That PBKS game where I got four wickets, after that immediately next game it happened (he would play only two more games after the PBKS match). I was even not able to function normally for at least two-three weeks."
Having left the Titans squad, Sai Kishore checked himself in at the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru where he would spend the next two months. Despite keeping himself occupied, looking forward to what he had to do next, it was not easy. He was in pain. He wasn't able to sit, move or sleep properly.
"We use the neck for everything. If you have to walk, or sleep, that was the challenge. I think a lot of people helped me. The GT physio, I was in so much pain I called Thulasi Anna (Thulasi Ram Yuvaraj, physio at the NCA), the people in NCA, trainer Harsha... In TNPL also people helped, my personal masseur.. hard to single out. More than anyone, my wife helped me so much. I was not able to move or sit. Every two hours, I used to keep alarms just to wake up and walk. I was in so much pain," he recalls.
After two months of rehab, Sai Kishore made a comeback in the TNPL for Tiruppur Tamizhans, but even then, he was not there fully as a bowler. He missed the first few matches, but with Vijay Shankar getting injured, he wanted to take up the responsibility. Predominantly playing as a batter, he led the team to the playoffs before falling short in Qualifier 2 against Dindigul Dragons. In seven matches, he bowled only 16.5 overs, but he was adapting to a different challenge.
"I was very grateful to be back. Honestly, to get back to normal life only was an achievement, cricket was a bonus. When I came in, I knew I couldn't do it (bowl as much). I accepted that but I wanted to take the challenge. Mind was there, but the body was not fully there. So I had to make others do the job. That was a good challenge and a different one. Usually in Ranji, if I am in doubt, I bowl. If it's a pressure over, I bowl, but there I could not. Off the field, I had to make sure others were ready to take responsibility. In that way, it was very good."
It was only after the TNPL, almost five months including IPL and rehab, that Sai Kishore got the chance to get some downtime at home in Chennai. The 15-20 days he got, he tried to make the most of it. After all, he knew what lay ahead. A long domestic season starting with Buchi Babu and then, Duleep Trophy. Sai Kishore played the fourth round of the first division league for Vijay CC against Globe Trotters — his first multi-day game of the season — bowling 26 overs across two innings with three wickets to show.
While he will be leading the TNCA XI, Sai Kishore is in Team B for the opening round of the Duleep Trophy, alongside Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Rahul Chahar. The 27-year-old feels he's never been more ready for the challenge and believes that he is one of the best spinners in the country.
"I feel so confident because I have never trained in the block I have now. Maybe before getting into the IPL, I would have trained like this. Waking up at 4 am, training and then, bowling. I haven't put in as many hours as I have this pre-season in the past four-five years. During the IPL, you don't get time, you focus on recovery. After TNPL, I had a 15-20 day break, and used it to the best.
"I feel I am one of the best spinners in the country. Put me in a Test match, I am ready. So, I am not worried too much. Jadeja is there, I have never played alongside him. I have been with him in CSK, but never played together in red-ball format. So, it will be a good learning experience in terms of what he does. In saying that, I feel confident. So, I am ready more than ever."
As he leaves on Sunday for his first Buchi Babu match — TNCA XI against Haryana in Coimbatore on August 21 — Sai Kishore is raring to go. "The main reason to play Buchi Babu is to get ready to bowl 50 overs. I wanted to play Buchi Babu. I want to play as much cricket as I can. Sometimes these kinds of injuries can be a blessing because sometimes cricketers get bored playing too much cricket, it doesn't happen to me that much, but happens for most. Naturally, when an injury happens, I am raring to go. If I have to bowl 50 overs, I will do it happily. I will do it with more interest, more fire. So, it has been a blessing. Very eager to play again," he signed off.