The delivery drifted in before turning away from the England batter, finding the gap between his bat and pad and crashing into the stumps
Published: August 29, 2026, 12:34 PM IST
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File photo of R Sai Kishore(Credits: IANS)
Indian and Gujarat Titans left-arm off–spinner R Sai Kishore won his one-on-ond battle with Ben Stokes on the second day of the County Championship 2026 clash between Gloucestershire and Durham as the former produced a superb delivery to remove the former England Test captain, who retired from the longest format earlier this month.
Stokes had looked comfortable during his stay at the crease and was beginning to build a useful innings for DurhamHe made 45 off 43 balls, hitting seven fours and a six before Sai Kishore brought his innings to an abrupt end.
The India spinner tossed the ball up and got enough movement to beat StokesThe delivery drifted in before turning away from the England batter, finding the gap between his bat and pad and crashing into the stumps.
It was the kind of dismissal that showed why Sai Kishore can be a threat even on English pitchesRather than keeping the ball flat, the left-arm spinner gave it air and made Stokes play at itThe turn did the rest.
The wicket also added another chapter to the contest between the two players in the matchStokes had got the better of Sai Kishore on the opening day, dismissing the spinner for a duck when Gloucestershire batted.
Sai Kishore’s response came when Durham began their first inningsStokes had spent enough time at the crease to give Durham momentum, but his dismissal allowed Gloucestershire to make further inroads.
Sai Kishore… ladies and gentlemen!
Ben Stokes is bowled, and there isn’t a lot you can do about deliveries like that!#BecomeGlorious pic.twitter.com/b8WbN3jXEy
— Gloucestershire Cricket (@Gloscricket) August 28, 2026
The spinner’s performance has been one of the interesting aspects of Gloucestershire’s campaign this seasonCounty cricket has given Sai Kishore an opportunity to spend more time bowling with the red ball and operating in conditions that are very different from those in India.
The 29-year-old has already established himself as one of Gujarat Titans’ key spinners in the Indian Premier LeagueHis red-ball opportunities have been more limited, making his county stint particularly useful as he looks to strengthen that side of his game.
Sai Kishore has also played for India in T20 cricket and was part of the Indian team that won gold at the 2023 Asian GamesHis county spell gives him a chance to make a stronger case in the longer format as well.
The dismissal quickly drew attention online, mainly because of the quality of the ballIt was not a wicket created by a mistake from the bowler or a loose shotIt was rather a well-planned set-up.
