Gujarat Titans (GT) spinner Sai Kishore credited captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler for making the pitch look easy during their batting against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). GT beat KKR by 39 runs at Eden Gardens.
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00:00Definitely having momentum in the competition helps but I feel IPL is one tournament where you can't take any team lightly because every team is loaded with players. So having momentum definitely helps the confidence like having the team selection and everything. But I really feel that every team is very good. So it helps but not so much sir.
00:26Thanks.
00:28Yeah, please.
00:32Sir, from a bowler's point of view, how does the Shubhan's captain see his handling of the bowlers?
00:37I think especially when it comes to spin, he is a wonderful player of spin. So it helps when he is captain. He gives me that few pointers where you can do this, you can do that.
00:50When you are a bowler who relies on the wicket, you can turn the ball both sides. All those things won't matter. But when you are a finger spinner, you need all these small, small inputs on what to do, what not to do.
01:02So in that way, it has been very, very beneficial. Especially in this game, I think a lot of changes in angles and different balls I bowled were all directed by Shubhan, which came out very well.
01:16I felt the wicket had enough purchase when we were bowling. And the situation we were in at that time, I felt the situation demanded that we could go for his wicket and not just defend as such.
01:43So try to be very brave, try to bag the spin, bowl as traditional as possible. And try to just keep changing the angles so that the outcome of the ball is different. That's it. Just wanted to be very brave and be fearless. That's all.
02:01I just want to follow up that question. I was going to ask the same thing as regarding Russell. Was part of the plan to bring the spinners as soon as he comes on?
02:14In terms of how the team operates, there is no straightforward plan as such. This is what we are going to do. As the game unfolds, we take a lot of decisions on the field.
02:28And that is why I think different games, different bowlers bowl at different times for us. There is no set pattern as this guy will bowl or this guy won't bowl.
02:37So, as the game unfolded today, the wicket had enough purchase. And so, spinners were bought in.
02:44I want to ask you a question about the team's batting, especially one of the openers, you know, very well from the time of Naboo, 20 years old, of course.
02:52Both the batters start off a little slowly. I mean, traditionally, the first big shot which was hit was only the first ball after the power play, at least an aerial shot.
03:02I mean, this is the mantra for success of playing percentage cricket. Like, when you are bowling, bowling the prop, not trying too much but just relying on the pitcher do something with their good lines.
03:13Is percentage cricket eventually paying off for LSU, I'm sorry, GT this season with six wins and two losses?
03:21Because you are not trying weird or different, just doing the right things perfectly. What do you believe about this concept of percentage cricket and whether that is good enough to win a tournament game?
03:34Definitely, I think it is very, very relevant. No matter how much you want to hit the ball very hard, when the wicket is slightly different, when the wicket challenges you, I think that is where batsmanship comes into play.
03:47And, to be fair, Shubhman and Sai, even Joss, I think all three of them are batting in a way where they are making it look very easy.
03:57When we were looking at the way they were batting, I felt the wicket was actually very good. But only when we bowled, it felt that it was gripping and turning.
04:09Coming back to your question, I think percentage cricket is very, very much relevant. Given a flat, flat wicket, we could still chase 240s and 230s.
04:19But on a challenging wicket, that's where batsmanship comes into play and credit to Sai and Shubhman, they have been batting brilliantly. Because of them, the wicket looked much easier.
04:31Of course, it follows, if I can answer. Yeah. So, it was also considered a big battle of colors in the US. Of course, Russia, your form, of course, makes you all formidable.
04:43And we all know Narayan and Varun, their quality. Obviously, you guys outroll them tonight. The other day, Rati and Vishnu was outroll them. So, what do you think you did write on this particular surface?
04:55Because it wasn't only Russell who you bowl to. You bowl to other Indian batters as well. Could you just elaborate a little bit more on what the bowl of you did write?
05:04I really felt that, to be honest, Varun and Sonal Narayan both bowled very well. With due credit to them, when we were bowling, I felt the wicket had more pouches.
05:17And that was all. Even Mohin Bai bowled really well. Sometimes, at the end of the day, when the result is on your side, you feel like you outbowled.
05:25But I think you have to just give credit to the situation, credit to how the game unfolded. Not take a lot of credit that we outbowled them as such.
05:36It just happened in a way that the team's morale was down. We were taking wickets regularly. So, in the end, it looks like we outbowled them.
05:45But to be fair, they also bowled really well. They also competed really well. The wicket was slightly tricky in terms of the nature of it. And that helped the spinners.
05:53Let me hear the last question. Anyone?
06:00Sir, this is Gautam from National Visit.
06:03The thing is, on reaching the business center of the tournament, how is it to get Dakshet and food?
06:10We all know what he can do, but the tournament has to be doing that well for him.
06:16But can we be in the room and the way we saw him working today? It must be a question of double joy.
06:22Hi, sir. Definitely, it is very delightful to see him back. We as a team never doubted him or never doubted his abilities.
06:31He's the best T20 bowler in the world. He's got the most number of wickets. I'm not sure of the stats, but I guess he has got the most number of wickets in T20s.
06:39Good to see him back. I think in T20s, you can't necessarily go for wickets. Wickets fall just by the way you defend and wickets just fall.
06:49It's not like a red ball cricket where you go and buy wickets. Wickets are just a by-product. It's just happening.
06:55So, so good that he's back to wickets. He's back to his form. It really helps the team's confidence.
07:01So, so good that you guys have a real good team.
07:05Thank you for having me.
07:09I'm very excited.
07:11And I will be curious, everyone.
07:13Have you good confidence.