Ranji Trophy quarter-final: Sai Kishore dazzles with 4/27 against Saurashtra
Tamil Nadu skipper Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore delivered a match-winning spell against Saurashtra on Day 3 of the 2024 Ranji Trophy quarter-final. The left-arm spinner finished with figures of 4/27 in the second innings, claiming his ninth four-fer in First-Class cricket. Sai Kishore's heroics helped Tamil Nadu beat defending champions Saurashtra by an innings and 33 runs to qualify for the semi-finals. Here's more.
A game-changing spell from Sai Kishore
After scalping 5/66 in the first innings, the Tamil Nadu skipper was hungry for more in the second outing. The left-arm spinner came into the attack early on and removed opener Kevin Jivrajani. Sai Kishore then knocked over Dharmendrasinh Jadeja before taking the prized wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara. Lastly, he claimed the wicket of Parth Bhut to bundle out Saurashtra for 122.
Highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy 2024
Sai Kishore has been a standout player for Tamil Nadu this season. The slow left-arm spinner is currently the highest wicket-taker in the 2024 Ranji Trophy campaign with 47 wickets from eight matches at an average of 18.78. He owns six fourfers and two five-wicket hauls. With his fifer in the first innings, he surpassed Gaurav Yadav and Hitesh Walunj's tally of 41 wickets.
A valiant hand from Sai Kishore
In the first innings, apart from picking up a fifer, Sai Kishore also scored a watchful 144-ball 60, slamming six boundaries and three sixes. He hammered his third FC fifty. He has worked hours to improve his batting in red-ball cricket. Sai Kishore currently owns 707 runs in 38 First-Class matches at 16.44. Two of his fifties and a 48 have come this season.
A look at his First-Class numbers
Playing his 38th First-Class match, Sai Kishore raced to 160 wickets at a decent average of 24.29. Apart from his nine fourfers, he has also claimed nine five-wicket hauls in this format. He has been a mainstay for Tamil Nadu in all three formats since making his FC debut in 2017. With the bat, he has amassed 707 runs, slamming three fifties.
Here's the match summary
Batting first, Saurashtra lost Jivrajani early but Harvik Desai and Sheldon Jackson consolidated. However, Saurashtra kept losing wickets and none of the partnerships developed, resulting in them getting bundled for 183. Sai Kishore claimed a fifer. In reply, fifties from Baba Indrajith, Sai Kishore and Boopathi Kumar helped TN compile 338. Meanwhile, TN bowled out Saurashtra for only 122 in the second innings.
