CHENNAI: At some point during April 2024, R Sai Kishore had started to get a regular place in the Gujarat Titans side. A star-studded line-up that had both Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad meant the left-arm spinner from Tamil Nadu was not in the first XI despite making the most of every chance that had come his way.
And then he delivered a Player of the Match performance against Punjab Kings that put him in the limelight. Just when it seemed like he was going to become a permanent feature in the XI, a freakish golf injury ruled him out of the rest of the season.
After three months, he began the domestic season well at the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament. He went on to have a fruitful season with the red ball and when the 2025 season came along, he was a non-negotiable in the XI for GT. With no Noor Ahmad, he became their primary left-arm spinner and Sai Kishore immediately showed why that should be relied upon.
Sai Kishore started off with a three-fer against Punjab and then continued to take wickets in every game. In the first eight games he played, only once he went wicketless — against Lucknow Super Giants. Even then, he gave away just 35 runs. In fact, the most runs he has conceded this season so far was the 1/37 against MI.
The reason behind his success is not just the consistency which Sai Kishore has always had, but also the innovations and new variations he has brought to the table. One of them goes the other way like a carrom ball which takes the batters by surprise. Sai Kishore said he had been working on it for a few years. "I felt I was confident enough to bowl it in this IPL, so I just went with my instincts. It's like a carrom ball. I get more dip on it, so I don't know what it is. I can call it anything, but I'm just trying to bowl the carrom ball," he said during one of the games.
In many ways, the accolades that accompanied were long overdue. Sai Kishore spent years on the sidelines in Chennai Super Kings and then even with GT. This year, the spinner has shown why he is one of, if not perhaps the best, left-arm spinner in this season of the IPL. He has out performed Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Tuesday was no different as Sai Kishore once again chipped in with two crucial wickets against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. In the first two overs he bowled, Sai Kishore went for 18 runs, but he came back stronger. On a surface that had true bounce and turn, Sai Kishore removed the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav and captain Hardik Pandya, ensuring that MI could only manage 155/8. His two overs — 11th and 13th — ended up being the turning point as the left-arm spinner took two important wickets and conceded just 16 runs. Four overs, 34 runs, two wickets. On any given day, it is a perfect spell from a spinner.
There is a reason why many former players and commentators have expressed their bewilderment on how scarcely GT have used Sai Kishore on several occasions. He bowled just one over when Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a century, and same was the case against Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. So far, the results have gone GT's way and it has not cost them. But on Tuesday, they made the most of Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan on a surface that had help. Together, they bowled eight overs, accounted for three wickets while giving away 55 runs.
GT might have struggled to get across the line, but with the pitches wearing off and the tournament nearing its business end, the best of Sai Kishore might be yet to come and Titans will be counting on it.