R Sai Kishore Breaks Silence on Face-Off With Hardik Pandya: “On-Field Aggression, Off-Field Friendship”

After a fiery staredown with MI skipper Hardik Pandya during IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans spinner R Sai Kishore calls it “part of the game” and says there’s no bad blood.

Ahmedabad, March 30 – Gujarat Titans’ spinner R Sai Kishore addressed the viral moment from the IPL 2025 clash against Mumbai Indians, where he was involved in a tense face-off with MI captain Hardik Pandya. The heated exchange during the 15th over of MI’s chase saw Hardik reportedly yelling an expletive at Kishore after a series of dot balls.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Prasidh Krishna Stars with the Ball as Gujarat Titans Dominate Mumbai Indians by 36 Runs

While the incident set social media buzzing, both players were later seen hugging and sharing a light moment after the game, putting all rumours of animosity to rest.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Shubman Gill Reveals Black Soil Pitch Strategy After GT’s Dominant Win Over MI

“He (Hardik) is a good friend of mine,” Kishore clarified after the match.
“Inside the field, it should be like that. But we don’t take things personally.”

Kishore, who finished with figures of 1/37 in four overs, bowled tightly despite MI batter Suryakumar Yadav going after him with a fluent 48 off 28 balls.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya Reflects on MI’s Loss to GT: “We Fell Short in All Departments”

“He swept all my good length balls. If someone plays a good shot, you have to credit the batter,” Kishore admitted.
“I have to credit Shubman (Gill) too – he kept advising me on how to bowl to Surya, since he’s seen him closely in the Indian nets.”

The 27-year-old left-arm spinner added that while the pitch offered less turn, he adjusted his bowling to fit the team’s defensive needs. He also said he’s focused on consistency this season after putting in serious work during the off-season.

“I’ve been very honest with myself and worked very hard. Watched a lot of games and made improvements. Looking forward to the season,” he added.

Gujarat Titans defeated Mumbai Indians by 36 runs, handing MI their second consecutive loss of the season.

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R Sai Kishore, Hardik Pandya, IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, GT vs MI, cricket controversy, on-field fight, post-match reaction, sportsmanship