IPL 2025: Consistent game time fueling Sai Kishore's golden run in Gujarat Titans

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) When R Sai Kishore took a match-winning 4-42 for Gujarat Titans’ (GT) in their win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2024, one finally felt that this was the moment when he would be a regular figure in the side. But a neck injury picked up while playing golf meant his IPL 2024 stint with GT ended prematurely.

After the mega auctions were done in Jeddah last year, GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel had said in a virtual interaction with IANS that they were eyeing Sai Kishore, who was brought back by the franchise via the Right to Match (RTM) card, as their lead spinner. That logic made sense – Noor Ahmad was gone to Chennai Super Kings and an opening had been created for someone to pair up with Rashid Khan.

When IPL 2025 began, Sai Kishore was in the playing eleven from get go, thus marking the start of a golden run for the left-arm spinner – who now has 14 wickets against his name from 11 games at an average of 17.64 and economy rate of 8.37.

His recent best performance was 2-34 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium – taking out Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, his GT skipper in 2022 and 2023 seasons. That spell in Mumbai showed why Sai Kishore has been one of the best Indian left-arm spinners in action in IPL 2025.

Asked by IANS in the Star Sports Press Room show around the race to play-offs on what’s been different for him in IPL 2025 as compared to the previous season, Sai Kishore put it down to being given a consistent run in the tournament, which in turn is helping him generate consistent performances.

“First of all, I'm getting a lot of games. Thanks to Ashu pa (head coach Ashish Nehra), and thanks to the management for backing me to play a lot of games. Even when you play a lot of games, performance has to happen. I've always believed that even when you give your 100%, sometimes performance doesn't happen. So, very grateful to the Almighty for the performances to happen,” he said.

Sai Kishore was a part of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) set-up during IPL 2020 and 2021 and it’s something which he describes as an ‘internship period’ – of picking the brains of the likes of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner and Imran Tahir. Though he didn't get a game for CSK, Sai Kishore’s move to GT in 2022 helped him make his IPL debut.

At GT, Sai Kishore always expresses gratitude to head coach Ashish Nehra and assistant coach Aashish Kapoor for backing him to come good, while practising and on match days. Sai Kishore’s success in IPL 2025 has been something which was in the making for a long time - thanks to his ability to outsmart batters with his speed, loop and innovative variations (like the carrom ball that bowled out Krunal Pandya makes for a great Instagram reel moment!), and his meticulous pre-game preparation, which includes meditation.

It also helps Sai Kishore that he has the company of his fellow Tamil Nadu team-mates in B Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar and Shahrukh Khan at GT, where the relaxed and harmonious team environment has brought the best of every individual so far on the field – evident from them being at second place in the points table and being on the path of a top two finish at the end of league stage.

“It definitely helps having people who I have spent a lot of time with. I've known Washi from 12-13 years and known Shahrukh for the last maybe 10 years. I've known Sai for maybe 6-7 years. So it always helps that you are with familiar people. You can also talk a little bit of Tamil, and you have a little bit of filter coffee. All those things also help.

“But saying that GT is one team where it's not like you are not friends with anyone - the team is always together. You are always hanging out together in the team room. So GT is one environment where you would like to be a part of and that is just this oneness which is there within the group. So I think that is what is helping us,” he added.

Sai Kishore has played three T20Is for India when they won the gold medal in men’s T20 cricket at the Asian Games in October 2023. After that, he hasn't represented India in any format. But if Sai Kishore receives a national team call-up in the near future, his exceptional and consistent golden run for GT in IPL 2025 will undoubtedly be cited as a key factor.

--IANS

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