Sai Kishore claims 10-wicket haul with hat-trick after applying Dhoni's bowling-angle advice

Tamil Nadu left-arm orthodox spinner Sai Kishore took 10 wickets across both innings — four in the first, six in the second — as Tamil Nadu defeated Uttarakhand by an innings and 66 runs in an Elite Group-D Ranji Trophy match at M.A. Chidambaram stadium on October 20, 2026. His second-innings spell included a hat-trick in the 43rd over, dismissing Lakshya Raichandani, Saurabh Rawat and Aditya Rawat in successive deliveries. Uttarakhand were bowled out for 113 in 45.4 overs in their second innings, with Ajith Ram claiming four wickets alongside Kishore's six.

Kishore credited guidance from his Chennai Super Kings stint where MS Dhoni emphasised bowling from different angles, particularly over the wicket to right-handed batters. "I think that is something that I learned during my stint with CSK. MS Dhoni was heavy on that. But at that time I didn't have that understanding to know what he was telling. Last two years, I've started embracing it. When bowling from different angles, my ball behaves differently and that is reaping rewards," Kishore said as quoted by The Indian Express.

The spinner explained he had not immediately grasped Dhoni's instruction. Over the past two years he began to understand and apply varying bowling angles, which fundamentally changed how his deliveries behaved. "I think most bowlers should be having that control. Because we don't have freedom we might think we cannot bowl it. I think once you open up, once you're just playing for the team — I'm not doing it for myself — then you will start executing it," Kishore said. His 10-wicket haul represents a significant performance in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season.

What to watch: Whether Kishore's angle-variation technique sustains wicket-taking form through the Ranji season.

Editor's note: The report effectively utilizes the source material, capturing the technical insights, the specific match details, and the player's quotes.