R Sai Kishore bowled just three balls to Krunal Pandya but that small passage spread across 13th and 15th over of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's innings revealed the big strides the Gujarat Titans spinner has taken as a T20 bowler.
In the second ball of the 15th over, Sai Kishore bowled a back-of-the-length delivery that elicited a tame return catch from a clueless Krunal.
It required a second viewing to realise that Sai Kishore had delivered a carrom ball an unusual entity in a left-arm spinner's world.
But not really for Sai Kishore as he always chases something novel to stay ahead of the curve.
His bowling is an extension of his life where he is a seeker - of his spiritual inner self, new places and people and fresh experiences.
True to that trait, the 28-year-old has been practicing the carrom ball over the last few seasons but it was the first time he unleashed it in a real match.
"To be relevant in T20 cricket, you have to keep evolving. I have been practicing it for the last 3-4 years, but have not bowled it anywhere."
"I was confident to bowl it in the IPL and went with my instinct. It is like a carrom ball, so I get more dip on it," he told the host broadcaster.
Former India opener Akash Chopra validated that point while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.
"Off-spinners tend to do that very often, because they are turning the ball into the right-handers, so they need that carrom ball. Very few left-arm spinners do that. Sai Kishore is one of those guys.
"There are many captains who are averse to the idea of a left-arm spinner bowling to a left-hander. If you have that carrom ball, then they might just be a bit more encouraged," said Chopra.
Sai Kishore's GT and Tamil Nadu teammate B Sai Sudharsan have seen from close quarters the effort the left-arm spinner has put in to improve his craft even when he had to sit in the shadows of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad in the previous IPL seasons.
"Off the field, I can tell you the amount of effort he puts, the amount of preparation he does in terms of tactical advantages. I feel that is making him a bit ahead of other bowlers.
"He understands the game, he understands the situation and uses his speeds, angles. So, that is one of his strengths, I would say. I think that is why he is bowling the way he is," said Sudharsan, who made a sweetly-timed 49 to ensure that his colleague's effort did not go in vain.
Speeds and angles. Those two elements in Sai Kishore's bowling were on ample display at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
It helped him register 4-0-22-2 on a night when an accomplished T20 master like Rashid walked off the field with unflattering figures of 4-0-54-0, his most expensive spell in the IPL.
The dismissal of Jitesh Sharma, who was reconstructing RCB's innings with a stand of 72 runs alongside Liam Livingstone for the fifth wicket, underlined that point.
After bowling three fuller-length deliveries, one of which was cut for a boundary past the point fielder, Sai Kishore bowled a loopy back-of-the-length one that forced Jitesh to reach out for the ball.
The RCB wicketkeeper-batter was not in control of the shot that ended in the hands of Rahul Tewatia.
It was a more cerebral wicket than magical because he used a defensive over-the-wicket line to give the batter a false sense of security.
Sudharsan detailed it. "Saiki, we definitely have to talk about him because he was one of the main contributors in this game and in a few games previously as well. In this game, it was the most important spell because the wicket was very difficult (to score runs off) for the fast bowlers.
"So, as batters, we would try and maximise the most out of the spinners. I feel he was smart enough to use the right speeds in this wicket and right angles to Tim David and Liam Livingstone when he bowled there," said Sudharsan,
Little bit of magic and a lot of resolve have then made Sai Kishore's bowling a sight for sore eyes in this IPL so far.
© 2025