Navdeep Saini breaks silence on bond with Virat Kohli: ‘Played together for years, but…'

Out of favor, Indian fast bowler Navdeep Saini opened up about his deep connection with the former Team India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Virat Kohli.

Navdeep Saini, who has shared dressing rooms with many greats, has described his time with Kohli as transformative, highlighting how the batting maestro’s relentless work ethic inspired him to elevate his own game.

Navdeep Saini opens up about transformative bond with Virat Kohli

Navdeep Saini admired Virat Kohli's dedication and commitment, which he believes significantly influenced his approach to the game. The Indian pacer said that the bond he shares with his former RCB teammate went beyond mere camaraderie, saying Virat Kohli helps him in a lot of things.

Navdeep Saini further said that Kohli's guidance, intensity, and passion pushed him to strive for excellence. Saini mentioned that the dashing right-hander used to give 110% effort on the ground, and he has been doing the same for the former Indian skipper.

Navdeep Saini was quoted as saying by Sports Tak: “I have played with him for so many years, and I have played with him in the Indian team as well. But I have always had a different bonding with him because he is very hardworking. I used to follow him because he used to give 110% effort on the ground, and I used to do the same for him. He used to help me with a lot of things, and I used to follow him.”

Looking ahead, Saini also opened up about his preparation to make a comeback to the Indian cricket team. Navdeep Saini reveals that he approaches every potential selection with the mindset of readiness, ensuring that he is always prepared for any format or situation.

Saini opens up about his preparation to make a comeback to Team India

He is following this proactive strategy to avoid any surprises when opportunities arise, allowing him to seamlessly transition into key roles, especially in high-stakes matches. Well, Saini’s disciplined preparation and inspirational experiences with Kohli would help him to return to the national side.

Navdeep Saini replied by saying, “I have always thought that I will be selected or not in any format. So, you should prepare for it in advance, so that when you get a chance, you should not be surprised that I got a chance to prepare for a test match. You should know that when the team is going to be formed, you should start preparing before that.”

At the end, Saini said if he deserves a spot in the Indian team, then I will definitely get a chance. The seasoned pacer also revealed that he congratulated Gautam Gambhir when he was made India head coach, but didn’t talk anything about his selection or anything.

Saini and Gambhir share a great rapport, and the pacer said that the Indian coach is really impressed by the hard work that he has been putting into his game to improve and get fit in the national set-up.

Notably, India will next face Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, starting on September 19 in Chennai.