Navdeep Saini gets sentimental talking about Gautam Gambhir

One’s demise is another person’s delight’- Mohammed Shami failed the Yo-Yo Test and was ruled out of India’s upcoming match versus Afghanistan, which starts on June 14 at the M Chinnaswamy. Navdeep Saini, the fiery pacer from Delhi, got his maiden call-up in the team. He had a tremendous stint in the domestic circuit and the selection isn’t expected to furrow eyebrows by any means.

In the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy, he was Delhi’s leading wicket-taker with 34 scalps from 8 matches. Thereafter, he was rewarded with a contract of INR 3 crores by RCB in the IPL. However, he didn’t get an opportunity. Recently, the pugnacious potential thanked Gautam Gambhir for his contributions. Saini never bowled with a red leather ball until a day in December 2013 when Gambhir guided him how to handle the Red SG balls.

“I remember every tiny little thing”- Navdeep on Gambhir

“Gautam bhaiya (brother) told me. Jaise tennis ball se dalta hai, waise hi dal. Koi tension nahi. Baaki sab theek ho jayega (Just bowl like you bowl with a tennis ball. Everything will fall in place). I did what he told me and today I am here because of him. I don’t know whenever I speak about Gautam Gambhir, I get emotional,” Saini was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India (PTI).

Following Saini’s superlative show in the semi-final of the Ranji versus Bengal, Gambhir stopped him from going to South Africa as a net bowler. Ankit Rajpoot was sent in place of him. The fiery fast bowler and expressed his gratitude towards the veteran for constantly standing beside him at a time when the selectors were tough to convince regarding Navdeep’s prowess.

“I remember every tiny little thing. I know what Gautam bhaiya had to go through to convince selectors that I was good enough to play for Delhi. Not to forget Ashish Nehra, Mithun Manhas, Sumit Narwal, who all stood by me.

In fact, after first few matches, he (Gambhir) said that if I keep working hard at every practice session, I will play for India. He saw in me before I realised myself. Today when I look back about those days, I smile,” the 25-year pacer added.

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