New Delhi: Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, R. Sai Kishore brings a unique trajectory and relentless accuracy to the crease. The Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner, who had a stellar season of IPL-2025 in which he took 19 wickets in 15 matches for Gujarat Titans, finds himself waiting for his chance in the early stages of IPL-2026.Despite not being named in the starting XI so far this season, the 29-year-old has remained very down to earth, putting the team’s goals ahead of his personal ambitions. Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!“Cricket is not an individual sport but a team sport,” Sai Kishore told TOI in an exclusive interview hosted by Gujarat Titans on Tuesday. “So, at the end of the day, when you win trophies you celebrate, when you win titles you celebrate intense pulsed light. Therefore, the team always comes first in all decisions. And as a leader myself, I should understand this better than anyone else. Although you are disappointed that you are not in the starting XI at the moment, you should remember that the team comes first and as long as the conditions are right to play more spin, I will get the opportunity. “Sai Kishore, who has 32 IPL wickets, knows that T20 matches depend a lot on the conditions. Flat surfaces have always favored batsmen in the early stages of the tournament and will continue to do so even in IPL-2026, but experienced spinners expect a change.
“IPL is a very dynamic tournament. How the tournament unfolds, how the wickets go, all these are key factors in getting the right combination,” he said. “The team always comes first and whenever the wickets start deteriorating and when the heat is higher, slowly but surely the spinners come into play. Not just for the Gujarat Titans but the entire tournament. If you see, not many spinners have been able to change the game so far. Mainly batting friendly now. “For spinners, maintaining control on flat tracks in the IPL requires striking a delicate balance between containing runs and finding wickets. The series’ “character clarity” certainly makes walking that tightrope easier.“My role has been clearly stated and that is to provide control to the captain,” Sageshore said. “When it comes to this role, any player can easily reach their full potential.”When executing controls, he relies heavily on reading the game on the fly rather than sticking to a strict script. “A lot depends on player to player, situation. In what situation, what do you want to do. Let’s say, if a certain batsman is very consistent, you want to stop him and defend him more defensively. Someone is new to the crease and you try to take his wicket. It all depends on your decision-making skills at that moment, that day, on that wicket. So if you have that instinct, it’s easy to manage between when to attack and when to defend,” he said.In an era where T20 cricket is largely analytics and match-driven, Sai Kishore, who has captained Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, believes numbers only tell half the story.“No matter what data you follow, your gut always comes first,” he said. “Because, in that moment, how you feel is what you do. Data is important, understanding the game is important, but also trusting your gut, your inner voice is what this game is about. “Sai Kishore has already tasted international success, making his T20I debut during India’s gold medal win in 2023 Asian Gameshe took 3/12 against Bangladesh in the semi-finals. However, he has not been able to break into the Indian team again in any format. Rather than obsessing over national call-ups, his philosophy revolves around self-improvement and “absolute” preparation.“As a spinner, especially in India, you have to be able to hold your own in all three aspects of the game. You have to be a good fielder, you have to be expert with the bat, which is not an easy thing. So in the desire to play for the country, you naturally improve yourself and become a better cricketer.“I feel like I have to make my garden really beautiful. I have to keep working hard and be ready with the skills. Whenever the opportunity comes… usually, the opportunity will come when you are completely ready. I think it will just happen naturally,” he said.“Until then, I want to enjoy my game. I want to be very happy mentally, technically, emotionally, physically, everything.”
