Navdeep Saini could end up playing World Cup, says RCB bowling coach Ashish Nehra

Navdeep Saini has impressed most people with his bowling for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) even though he hasn’t taken too many wickets (six from nine outings). Picked for Rs 3 crore for the last season, Saini did not play in his inaugural IPL but has made a mark this season even though the RCB has had a complete debacle.

Saini, who is from Haryana and plays for Delhi, is particularly known for his raw pace and has been picked as one of the three standbys to the Indian squad for the World Cup starting in England on May 30. If any of the fast bowlers picked in the squad get injured, Saini will be the replacement. RCB bowling coach Ashish Nehra has spoken highly about the seamer’s rapid rise could see him playing the World Cup, adding that he has got pace and bounce and also the confidence.

Saini has pace, bounce and confidence, feels Nehra

“Within two games his confidence is high when nobody thought he will do well. That’s the beauty of IPL. He’s not going to come good in every game. He will go for runs but he’s got all the ingredients to be a good bowler,” Sportstar cited reports as quoting Nehra as saying on the eve of the RCB’s next match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Friday.

“Look where he’s today. He is the first standby so if any fast bowler gets injured he (Saini) will be the one playing the World Cup,” he added.

Saini was spotted by former India opener Gautam Gambhir and made into the Delhi Ranjit team despite facing early resistance. Even after the RCB bought him, questions were being asked about his utility, Nehra revealed. But Saini has proved his critics wrong and has bowled well in the death overs well when his mates Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj have faltered.

The other two players who have been picked as India’s standby players for the World Cup are middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant.

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