Sai Kishore gives it back to former England opener for questioning Rashid Khan's form: ‘Don’t know about commentary box'

With just six wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of nudging 10 runs per over, it is safe to state that Rashid Khan is in the middle of his worst IPL. And this, after he had picked up just 10 wickets in 12 matches last year at an economy rate of 8.40. But try pointing that out to the Gujarat Titans; chances are high that it won't sit well with them. Former England batter Nick Knight, who is part of the broadcasting team for this IPL, found out when he tried to question Rashid's form or the lack of it in the 18th season to his spin-bowling partner, Sai Kishore. Sai Kishore talking to Nick Knight after GT beat KKR

Rashid, who only had four wickets in seven games before GT's match against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Monday, showed glimpses of his old self by returning with figures of 2/25 - his best this year. After the match, which GT won by 39 runs, Knight asked Sai Kishore about Rashid's form in the tournament. Kishore got defensive immediately and termed Rashid the 'best T20 bowler in the world' and that the GT team and players always back him as they don't know what it's like in the commentary box.

Knight then assured Kishore that the commentators also believe Rashid is among the best in the business and, hence, want him to do well.

"What about Rashid Khan? Your spin twin. It hasn't been the ideal tournament for him. But a couple of wickets (today) in crucial time, how's it going for him?" asked Knight in the post-match presentation.

"He's one of the best T20 bowlers in the world. He's getting his wicket-taking knack back. As a team, we don't doubt his abilities, I don't know what it's like in the commentary box. We all believe in him and I still believe he's the best T20 bowler in the world," replied Kishore.

"We never doubt him. That's why we want him to do well," said Knight before moving on to the next question.

Rashid, Kishore shine after Gill's dominance

Shubman Gill led from the front with his 55-ball 90. Gujarat posted 198-3 after Sai Sudharsan, who hit 52, and Gill put on 114 runs for the first wicket to lay the foundations of the total.

The bowlers then combined to restrict Kolkata to 159-8 with skipper Ajinkya Rahane playing a lone hand with 50 to register Gujarat's sixth win in eight matches.

"The talk has been about playing good cricket, not about the results. Our fielding was very good today. We are just addressing areas where we can play better as a team," said Kishore, who picked the important of wicket Venkatesh Iyer and conceded just 19 runs in his three overs.

Kolkata lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over of the chase when Mohammed Siraj got the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman trapped lbw for one.

Sunil Narine, a left-hand opener, and Rahane hit back with regular boundaries in a brisk partnership of 41 until Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan broke the stand.

Rashid had Narine caught out for 17 before Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer put on another stand to keep Kolkata in the hunt.

Sai Kishore removed Iyer on 14, and fellow spinner Washington Sundar sent back Rahane, stumped out after his fifty, to derail the chase.

Russell added some spark with a 15-ball 21 as he hit three fours and one six, but Rashid picked up his second wicket to remove him, thanks to a Buttler stumping.

Season's leading bowler Prasidh Krishna then took two wickets in one over to take his count to 16.

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