"Everybody Was Laughing While We Were Batting": Ravichandran Ashwin Recalls Funny Moment With Navdeep Saini During RR vs KKR Match

Indian spin bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin shared a hilarious incident during the match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders on April 18 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler’s splendorous 61-ball 103 comprising nine fours and five sixes striking at 168.55 powered Royals to a humongous 217/5. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal claimed 5/40 and also picked his maiden hat-trick as RR bowled KKR out for 210 and completed a seven-run win.

I think 300 runs should really be enough: Navdeep Saini’s hilarious response to R Ashwin’s question

During the Rajasthan Royals innings, Ashwin was having some funny banters with fellow bowlers Navdeep Saini and Prasidh Krishna. The off-spinner revealed that Saini proposed 300 would be an insurmountable score to win against KKR.

“Everybody was laughing while we were batting. Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara) was laughing, and so were the others. Except for a group, say a squad of four or five members was totally serious. And those were me, Saini, Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, & Boult because we were going to bat next right?” Ashwin narrated the incident on his YouTube channel.

“Saini did not play yesterday (in the game against KKR). Also, McCoy seems to be a silent type. And we were watching the match and then something happened like how it happens in Tamil cinema. 

“Saini casually started like, “Bhaiya… what do you think are the safe total runs that should be on the board?” I was looking at the total & replied back to him that they are playing well… So 230 runs should be safe for us. And Prasidh Krishna was like, “do you really think 230 is enough?”

“He (Prasidh) will speak both in Tamil and Kannada at times and I was like, dude 230 is really enough. Suddenly Saini seemed to be very silent like in a graveyard.

“He kept watching the match but it looked like he was not having any emotions on his face. And I said to him, you asked me a question and now, you are quiet. He said, “Bhaiya, I was having a deep contemplation and I think 300 runs should really be enough.”

Rajasthan Royals to face Delhi Capitals in the forthcoming match

Sanju Samson and his men will face Delhi Capitals on Friday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match was originally scheduled to take place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune but as a precautionary measure, the BCCI changed the venue after Delhi Capitals recorded six COVID-19 cases.

Delhi’s fixture against Punjab Kings was also moved from Pune to Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium. DC registered an emphatic nine-wicket win against PBKS after they chased 116 in just 10.3 overs. Rajasthan Royals are currently placed in the third position with eight points while DC holds the sixth spot with six points.

Also Read: DC vs RR: “He Is A Big Match Performer” Sanjay Manjrekar Is Not Concerned About Rishabh Pant’s Batting