IPL 2025: Sai Kishore’s 2-22 was the most important spell in GT’s win over RCB, says Sai Sudharsan

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) : Gujarat Titans’ (GT) left-handed opener B. Sai Sudharsan believes left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore bagging figures of 2-22 in his four overs was the most important spell for the side in beating Royal Challengers Bengaluru by eight wickets to get their second straight win in IPL 2025. At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Kishore varied his pace and used angles well to take out Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya in quick succession, thus keeping RCB a little bit quiet in their middle overs. "Saiki, we definitely have to talk about him because he was one of the main contributors for this game and a few previous games as well. I feel in this game, Saiki's was the most important spell because the wicket was very difficult to bat against the fast bowler. So as batters, even me, we were trying to maximise what we can get out of the spinners. "I feel he was smart enough and used the right speeds on this wicket and right angles to Tim David and Liam Livingstone when he bowled there. I feel he used the speed really well in the angles. And that's why I think he had a great game," said Sudharsan.

Kishore, who played three T20Is for India in 2023, is now at number four in the IPL 2025 wicket-takers list with six scalps in three games at an economy rate of 7.41. Here, against RCB, even as Rashid Khan gave away more than 50 runs, Kishore held one end tight and kept striking with scalps – including with a carrom ball to bamboozle Krunal. Asked about what’s really working for Kishore in IPL 2025, Sudharsan feels it's his meticulous preparation for every game. "I feel off the field, I can tell you the amount of effort he puts in and the amount of preparation he does in terms of tactical advantages. I feel that is taking him a bit ahead of other bowlers because he understands the game; he understands the situation and uses his speed, uses his angles. That is one of his strengths, and I think that is why he is bowling the way he is," he said.

Sudharsan, who made 49 in GT’s win over RCB and is at second place in the run-getters list in IPL 2025 with 186 runs in three games, felt playing in the tournament has helped him improve his T20 game hugely. "It's my fourth year (in the IPL), so I feel it has given me a lot of experience. I got exposed to a few difficult conditions and a lot of fast bowling in the nets with GT. I feel the most important thing that has helped my evolution or the way I've improved my T20 batting is the game time I get here and the practice time I get here with the Titans and all the quality international bowlers. "So, I feel that has helped me even in the nets, I would say. I got exposed to a lot of things and a lot of difficult conditions. I've learnt a lot in these (last) three years. I feel it has helped me understand the game better and the basics of the game as well," he concluded.