BENGALURU: Ever since his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore last season, Navdeep Saini has impressed with the white ball. Be it his ability to surprise batsmen with his space, quick bouncers or wide yorkers, the 27-year-old has earned a decent name for himself. However, he was made to wait for his chance in the IPL after warming the bench for Delhi Daredevils (Capitals now) in 2017 and Bangalore the next year.
He finally got a chance in 2019. It was always going to be an important season. Though new to the IPL, he was not necessarily a young bowler at 26. Saini knew he had to bring his A game and the pacer never looked back since his debut.
His 11-wicket haul last season helped him earn an India cap in the limited overs format during a period when the country had one of the best pace attacks, comprising the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar among others. He was also awarded a place in the Test squad for the tour of New Zealand earlier in the year.
Just one impressive IPL and Saini breaking into the Indian team showed the kind of faith the team management had in the speedster. Though it was not a standout IPL with an economy rate of 8.27, Saini showed signs of promise. At times, batsmen were made to rush with their stroke play and he also generated great pace in excess of 150 kmph a couple of times. Such a bowler who could bowl outright pace was missing in the India fast bowling department.
And with every passing game, the lanky pacer has grown in stature and he did no harm to his growing reputation in the latter stages of the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians clash on Monday. Saini was handed the responsibility of bowling the penultimate over with 31 to get off 12 balls. With Kieron Pollard and Ishan Kishan, who were striking the ball clean, Saini just gave five singles and one six. The latter was a mishit.
It was an even more inspiring performance from Saini during the Super Over. On a batting surface that witnessed 402 runs in 40 overs, he gave away just seven runs (one was a bye) with Pollard and Hardik Pandya at the other end. He showed an array of variations, including wide yorkers, low full tosses and slower balls and more importantly did not give any room for the batsmen to free their arms.
“He (Saini) has been amazing with the ball. He has been going from strength to strength and also growing as a bowler. He has done similar things with the Indian team as well, so to be able to bowl such a 19th over to a very set batsmen at the crease and to give seven runs in the Super Over when Hardik and Pollard were there, it just goes to show his character and hunger,” said Washington Sundar, who also impressed with figures of 1/12 in his quota of four overs.
Saini did not get major plaudits with Pollard, Ishan and De Villiers playing sensational innings, but he did what was asked of him in crunch situations. No wonder, he has become the go-to man for Kohli in the Bangalore set up.