Shubman Gill's IPL Teammate Joins English Team

Shubman Gill with GT players [Source: AFP]

Gujarat Titans spinner Sai Kishore has now switched sides from his IPL franchise to fly overseas and join an English domestic cricket team for the remainder of 2026. 

Shubman Gill's teammate, at 29 years of age, has signed a six-match deal with Gloucestershire for the County Championship season of 2026. 

The Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner earlier played in English domestic cricket and will return for a second stint, having impressed with a productive spell with Surrey last year. 

Sai Kishore joins Gloucestershire with a six-match deal

Sai Kishore has signed a six-match deal with Gloucestershire. The next matches to be played by Gloucestershire will be against Worcestershire, Durham, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Middlesex, and Kent. 

So far, from the eight matches Gloucestershire have played, they have managed to win only one match against Derbyshire by 10 wickets. Other than that, they have been a pretty disappointing side, currently at the bottom of the table with 38 points under their belt. 

Although Sai cannot help the team climb to the top of the table, his addition now provides an important upgrade for Gloucestershire, which has Graeme van Buuren and Joe Phillips, alongside Ed Middleton, as the only spinners in the team. Alongside Sai, it will strengthen their spin department.

Significantly, Kishore comes in with solid form as the left-armer has claimed 223 wickets at an average of 24.21 from 54 first-class matches, including 14 five-wicket hauls.

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Kishore impresses in Ranji, fails to find games in IPL 2026 

Meanwhile, Kishore impressed in his County Championship stint back in 2025 for Surrey, where, from two matches, he managed to bag 11 wickets at an economy rate of 2.39. 

His notable bowling performance was in the second innings against Durham, where Kishore scalped five wickets while giving away 72 runs. Nevertheless, Sai Kishore's Ranji Trophy season in 2025-26 was also super impressive. 

However, the 20-wicket taker didn't find many chances in the playing XI for the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 under captain Shubman Gill. He played only two matches, where he managed to get one wicket from two innings while bowling at an economy rate of 11.50.

Will Sai Kishore be effective in English conditions?

Sai has already shown that he can succeed in English conditions. One of his biggest strengths is his excellent control over line and length. Instead of relying only on big turn, Sai varies his pace cleverly and keeps the batters under constant pressure. 

English pitches often offer a little grip as the match progresses, making his subtle variations even more effective. He also has the ability to bowl long, economical spells. 

County cricket demands patience from spinners, and Sai Kishore has repeatedly shown that he can build pressure by keeping one end quiet while creating wicket-taking opportunities. 

With Gloucestershire looking to improve their position in the County Championship, his experience and consistency could make him one of their key bowlers during the remainder of the 2026 season, which might make a strong case for Shubman Gill not to release him ahead of IPL 2027.

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