Navdeep Saini To Stay With The Indian Team As A Cover And Net Bowler

It seems like Navdeep Saini has earned a lot of trust of the team management and the selection panel of the Indian National Cricket Team. After the debut in T20I, he was a part of 15-man ODI squad. Now, he was asked by the board to stay with the Indian team as a net bowler and also as a cover to the fast bowling setup.

Navdeep Saini came into the limelight for his spectacular performances in domestic cricket, especially, with the red ball. Later, he was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, which has become a stepping stone for Navdeep Saini to don the Indian Jersey.

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Navdeep Saini, who can clock a speed of 150 Kmph, was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 5-match unofficial ODI series for India A in the West Indies. Saini has also impressed with his pace in his first IPL season and was the fastest among Indians, clocking 152.85 Kmph, which was second only to South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada’s at 154.23 kph.

On his debut in T20I format, Saini, who came into the attack in the 5th over, made a dream start by picking up the wickets of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer off successive deliveries in his first over itself. He picked up the wicket of Kieron Pollard for 49 in the final over without conceding a single run to finish with 3 wickets for 17 from 4 overs.

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Navdeep Saini will be a Net Bowler:

Meanwhile, keeping the Test championship in the mind, the board and the management wants to groom Navdeep Saini alongside the team. They want him to be ready and chip in with the performances directly when he gets the nod in the playing XI.

“Yes, Navdeep Saini has been asked to stay back by the team management for the Test series. He will stay back primarily as a net bowler, they want to groom him for the Test format keeping an eye on the future,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on Monday.

“Saini has been a performer in red-ball cricket for the past few years. He has the pace, and ability to hit the deck, move the ball both in air and off the pitch. If he is groomed well, it will only increase our pool of fast bowlers for the top tier cricket. That’s how the team management is looking at him,” the official said.

Well, it would be interesting to see how Navdeep Saini copes ups with the best format of the game. Most probably, he will soon get the call-up in the squad and in the playing XI as well.