Left-arm spinner Sai Kishore delivered a commanding second-innings performance to help Gloucestershire defeat Derbyshire by 213 runs in a County Championship Division Two match at Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol, on September 5, 2026.
Kishore returned figures of 5 for 20 from 18 overs, including 12 maidens, as Derbyshire were bowled out for 105 while chasing a target of 319. His first-innings contribution of 2 for 59 gave him match figures of 7 for 79, underlining his control across both innings of the
four-day contest played September 2-5, 2026.
Spin dominated Derbyshire's second innings entirely. Alongside Kishore's 5-20, Tom Price took 3 for 59 and Middleton claimed 2 for 17, meaning all ten wickets fell to spin as the visitors collapsed well short of their target.
Kishore didn't just put in a stunning performance with the ball, but he also contributed significantly with the bat in the first innings. In a low-scoring affair, where batting wasn't very easy, Kishore walked out to bat at No. 8 on Day 1 and showed great resistance while mixing attack with defence. In 39 balls, he scored 20 runs with the help of two boundaries and a solitary six.
SAI KISHORE: 18-12-20-5 🤯🔥
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 6, 2026
- One of the best spells in this County Championship, he is bowling his heart out. pic.twitter.com/qpY6gqe1IJ
Sai Kishore has been ignored despite consistent performances
When India picked the left-arm spin duo of Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar in the squad for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan, it surprised many. Kishore, despite consistent performances for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket for the last few years, failed to make the cut.
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Suthar got his chance in the game against Afghanistan, and he bagged a seven-wicket haul in the match. He was awarded Player of the Match for his sensational bowling effort as India won by an innings and 300 runs. The 24-year-old went from strength to strength in the recently concluded two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Suthar finished as the highest wicket-taker with 16 scalps from two matches. While the Rajasthan cricketer has had a fantastic start to his international career, Kishore's consistent performances in first-class cricket will keep him on his toes.
