Noor Ahmad vs Sai Kishore - who should GT pick as second spinner for IPL 2024?
The Gujarat Titans (GT) head into the most challenging season since their inception in the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Shubman Gill, being thrust into the captaincy role, following the departure of Hardik Pandya has several obstacles to overcome. The franchise have defied odds in the past, and they would love to repeat their exploits once again.
One of the major conundrums that GT will have to resolve is the overall balance of the playing XI. The combination has taken a serious hit with Hardik Pandya out of the picture, and their inability to fulfill the tough task of replacing him at the IPL 2024 mini-auction.
The presence of Pandya as an accomplished Indian all-rounder was a huge luxury to have, which allowed GT to even field two overseas spinners in the playing XI, which is a rare sight in the league.
The Afghanistan duo of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad had great chemistry, and ruled the middle overs with their wrist spin. The pair picked up a combined total of 43 wickets in IPL 2023, but their partnership is now in doubt for IPL 2024.
GT have the provision of fielding the in-form Sai Kishore as the second spinner. Sai being an Indian candidate, the management can use the extra overseas slot to repair other areas in the team, particularly the pace bowling unit, given Mohammed Shami's season-ending injury.
On that note, let us take a look at who should GT pick as the second spinner for IPL 2024 between Noor Ahmad and Sai Kishore.
#1 Form
Noor Ahmad has had a busy year so far playing consistently for both franchise and country alike. He was part of Durban's Super Giants that made it to the finals of the SA20 League 2024, and had a prolific campaign, picking up 12 wickets in six matches.
He was also involved in the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, and most recently played in the ODI contest against Ireland as well.
Sai Kishore, on the other hand, has been running rampant on the domestic circuit albeit in the red-ball format. The left-arm spinner was the leading wicket-taker of the 2024 Ranji Trophy with 53 wickets. However, his good form extends to white-ball cricket as well, primarily because of his 2023 Vijay Hazare Trophy where he was the leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps.
Form-wise, both players are quite even, but Sai Kishore does have a little bit of an advantage having performed in Indian conditions. Although it is a given that Noor Ahmad will also prosper under similar conditions, one needs to question whether it is worth using an overseas slot.
#2 Skillset
Noor Ahmad brings a unique skill set to the table with his left-arm wrist spin bowling. With only a few of his kind present in world cricket at present, GT did make a smart acquisition at the time, arguably one for the future, if the stars align together.
His fast arm action makes it quite hard for batters to read the ball, a trait similar to Rashid Khan. However, with Noor Ahmad being a left-handed bowler, he brings new angles into play from both over and around the wicket. It becomes an ordeal for the batters to deal with the angle as well as the copious variations.
Sai Kishore, on the other hand, is also no ordinary left-arm finger spinner. Although he might lack in variations, he more than makes up for it with his extra height and control. The spinner has made a solid impression with the limited number of appearances he has made for GT.
He played five matches in the 2022 season, picking up six wickets at an economy of 7.56, but could not avail of a single chance in the 2023 season. He was arguably one of the most underutilized players in the entire league, but it could all change with the 2024 edition.
#3 Team Combination
The decision regarding personnel in the spin department depends on how the team deals with the overseas combination. The inclusion of Rashid Khan and David Miller, along with an overseas pacer is certain, while the likes of Kane Williamson and Azmatullah Omarzai make a strong case for the fourth and final slot.
Should GT continue to show faith in Wriddhiman Saha and Sai Sudharsan at the top order, they might not need the Blackcaps ace. However, due to the lack of a credible Indian all-rounder, they might have to use up their last overseas slot to include the in-form Omarzai.
If the team follows the aforementioned combination, they will have no choice but to leave out Noor Ahmad from the playing XI, and forge a spin duo with Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore.
There might be a case for GT to include all three spinners by sacrificing an overseas slot, when it comes to playing on spin-friendly wickets like the Chepauk, Eden or the Ekana Stadium.
To conclude, for the sake of team balance, Sai Kishore seems to be the better option for GT to start with. Playing two overseas spinners will weaken both the batting and bowling unit due to the lack of all-rounders in the side.