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If there was one snippet of criticism that was leveled at the Chennai Super Kings' title-contending squads of 2018 and 2019, it was the lack of young homegrown talent. N Jagadeesan was one of only two Tamil Nadu players on the roster, with the glory days of S Badrinath and R Ashwin still fresh in the ardent fan's memory.
Late in the IPL 2020 auction, CSK's paddle was airborne for a little-known left-arm spinner who had gone unsold in the initial round. R Sai Kishore, 22 years old at the time and a former CSK net bowler who had finished the 2019 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as the highest wicket-taker, quietly went to his home team for INR 20 lakh.
The unassuming nature of the purchase has typified the career of Sai Kishore, who is still under the radar two years down the line but is a markedly improved cricketer. Now a staple of the Tamil Nadu side across formats and loved among the CSK faithful for his bashful demeanor, he has gone from strength to strength under the watchful eye of MS Dhoni.
"Every day I play, I try to learn something. When you compete with the best, you naturally learn a lot. As a cricketer, from March 2020 to May 2021, I've grown immensely. Overall, my game has gone to another level since coming to CSK. When someone like MS Dhoni is constantly giving you feedback, what more do you want?" asks Sai Kishore in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda.
Dhoni, God's gift to spinners from behind the stumps and an imposing challenge from in front of them, has taken the youngster under his wing. The CSK training sessions have revolved around the theme of improvement for Sai Kishore, who has smartly siphoned his new learnings and injected them into domestic cricket.
"I talk to him [Dhoni] a lot after practice sessions and matches. I ask him whenever I need any inputs, and he's been kind enough to give me his thoughts. A couple of points he gave me during IPL 2020 made me a much better bowler in domestic cricket such as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy," he adds.
Most MS Dhoni interviews have the word 'process' strewn throughout, and the same calming mantra reverberates around the CSK dressing room. Win, lose, or draw; top of the table or a first-ever missed playoff spot - the underlying principle is unshakeable.
"The beautiful thing about CSK is that they never get overawed by the result. Last year, when we were losing, it was only the outside crowd which was making noise. Inside the team, we hardly felt anything; we were confident even while losing. We just missed a playoff spot by one match. Dhoni, [Stephen] Fleming and the support staff helped us remain grounded through the highs and lows," Sai Kishore states.
It is now that Sai Kishore delivers the most telling description of CSK's fundamental belief system. He says that the team coaxes players into turning a blind eye towards the possibility of failure, bringing the best out of them in a positive environment that places little emphasis on result.
"Even when we were winning this year, there were no major changes. All these things make us want to be part of CSK. As cricketers, we know that outcome isn't guaranteed no matter how hard you work. CSK helps you take the fear of losing away, because you know you'll be judged only by the effort you put in," Sai Kishore elaborates.
"When I started at 15, I never imagined I'd play for my state even in age-group cricket" - Sai Kishore
Sai Kishore made his senior Tamil Nadu debut just over four years ago, in a March 2017 List A game against Gujarat. Since then, he has gone on to make over 50 appearances across formats. But he says he never envisioned playing for the state even in age-group cricket.
"It's more about what you want with your career. Playing for an IPL team, playing for India - these are quantitative things. And if you actively look for them, you may get disappointed. If you're investing, you need to wait a good amount of time, 10-20 years, to get a result. When I started at 15, I never imagined I'd play for my state - let alone Ranji Trophy, even age-group cricket," reminsices Sai Kishore.
Sai Kishore's inviting smile and playfulness mask a steely resolve that stems from an innate understanding of his own abilities. The 24-year-old knows the heights to which his work ethic and talent will take him, even if he doesn't consciously strive for these heights.
"I've been extremely lucky to be part of many sides, such as Tamil Nadu and CSK. But these are by-products of my effort, and not my plans. It just requires mindset tuning and an emphasis on not chasing things. I have no doubts in my ability, I will play for any team. It's just a question of when. I have zero doubts whether I belong in a team, whether I will dominate a certain league," he reiterates.
"In the nets, you'll get an answer whether you belong at this level or not. It's a matter of time and a matter of luck. When I finish my career, I want to be known as a player who has learned so much and maximized his potential. I don't want to be known as a player who played for the country or a team," Sai Kishore insists.
In a team which has Imran Tahir, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Krishnappa Gowtham, Mitchell Santner and Karn Sharma, opportunities in the playing XI don't come knocking every day on Sai Kishore's door. But he isn't worried that he hasn't donned the CSK matchday jersey over the last two years.
"The last two years may not reflect in stats, maybe I didn't make my India debut or maybe I didn't make my IPL debut, but they've been wonderful and I couldn't have asked for anything better. I've got exposure, the chance to meet some of the greatest legends of this game. Nothing compares to the experience of being part of CSK. And a few years down the line, this will pay off," Sai Kishore confidently states.
"The great thing about DK is that he can keep everyone in check" - Sai Kishore on Tamil Nadu's rise
They say that in cricket, the bowler's closest ally is the wicket-keeper. And Sai Kishore has two generals to bowl to. While MS Dhoni has three IPL titles and all three ICC trophies under his belt, Dinesh Karthik has hoisted Tamil Nadu out of the doldrums and moulded them into a formidable white-ball side.
"The great thing about DK is that he can command everyone and keep everyone in check. If I'm not showing up one day, or Shahrukh or Jaggi or anyone, we can always ask questions and follow what our leader says. DK is really strong when it comes to assigning roles properly and sticking to them. Preparation-wise, we've been spot-on, thanks to DK. On-field things, of course he has experience. But these are the off-field things that make a difference," Sai Kishore claims.
The 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy ended in elation for Tamil Nadu, who avenged their loss in the 2019 final by clinching the title in dominant fashion. But the Vijay Hazare Trophy was a prime example of the capricious nature of top-level cricket as they crashed out in the group stage.
"It's our responsibility to carry on. It's not about winning Syed Mushtaq Ali for one year and thinking to ourselves, 'We're good players'. We are a state that won't take anything less than a win and we'll be absolutely devastated if we don't win the tournament. And that happened to us in Vijay Hazare. Everyone, deep down, felt that if we had qualified, we'd have won the tournament," Sai Kishore says with regret.
"What has changed in Tamil Nadu Cricket is that we want to be known as a team that wins tournaments. It's not just about players who came, performed well and went away. I'm very sure that in the years to come, we'll win lots of titles," he adds.
"I used to practice batting twice as much as my bowling" - Sai Kishore
At 6'4", Sai Kishore is tall and generates appreciable bounce. As a left-arm spinner, his arm ball is like a high-powered missile which zones in on the right-hander's pads. Most of all, he's unerringly accurate. While he admits to having these weapons in his arsenal, he believes it's his mentality and reading of the game that set him apart.
"I think mentally, I'm pretty smart. Reading the batsman, reading the match situation. I'm someone who's slightly ahead of the game and prepares very well at any level. It's like watching a play. Captaining a side in the TNPL made my understanding of the game a lot better," Sai Kishore illustrates.
"It [batting] is a work in progress. Batting is something I like so much, I used to practice batting twice as much as my bowling, simply because of love of it. The efforts I've been putting in are starting to show, and through time I will become an all-rounder," he continues.
In Sai Kishore's case, numbers don't tell the whole story. In what is a hallmark of a quality bowler, batsmen have recently tried to play him out without taking too many risks. The wickets column on the scoreboard may not always be padded (33 wickets in 30 T20s), but the economy rate (5.28) is right up there with the best.
"I don't really care if that is going to affect my chances of playing at a higher level. I'm doing my role for the team. If that is going to be my fate, then so be it. If it's meant to be, it will be. Through time, it will happen. In the 2019 SMAT season, I was the highest wicket-taker [20 wickets @ 4.63]. But after being the highest wicket-taker and finishing as the runner-up, I'd take economical spells and the trophy any day," Sai Kishore laughs.
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged families across the country. A casual glance at Sai Kishore's Twitter account reveals that he is no stranger to fighting for social causes.
"People need to take responsibility. It's heartbreaking to see what's going on, it's like we are fighting a World War. We need to wear masks, take the precautions. In the second wave, we need to remain committed to our family and the people around us. We need to make sure we're not selfish and we see the bigger picture," he signs off.
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