Home
Navdeep Saini who made his Test debut in the iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 was not in any of the four squads initially announced for Duleep Trophy 2024. As Mohammed Siraj was ruled out of the first round, Saini made his way into Team B led by Abhimanyu Easwaran. But before Saini could have the ball in hand, he had to do the job with bat and scored a half-century in record-breaking partnership with Musheer Khan. Then, in the second session of Day 2, the 31-year-old pacer roared with the new ball as first change bowler by getting wickets in his first spell.
In his second over, Saini bowled a booming inswinger. India A skipper Shubman Gill shouldered his arms but the ball hit the off stump. Saini broke the 57-run opening partnership between Gill and Mayank Agarwal.
In his third over, Saini got the wicket of Agarwal as well. He got caught down the leg side. Rishabh Pant dived to his left to take an excellent catch. The opener scored 36 runs from 45 deliveries. In his first spell, he bowled a maiden and conceded 32 runs from six overs.
Saini and Musheer’s record-breaking partnership
Earlier, on Day 1, Saini walked in to bat when India B were struggling for 94/7. He stitched a record-breaking 205-run partnership with teenager Musheer. This is the highest partnership for eighth wicket or lower in Duleep Trophy history. The previous record of 197 runs belonged to Abhishek Nayar and Ramesh Powar. They did it in 2010 edition for West Zone in Rajkot.
Batting at no.9, Saini scored 56 runs from 144 balls including eight fours and a six. This is Saini's highest score in red-ball cricket. Saini was the last got out. He lost his wicket to Akash Deep. The record-breaking partnership helped India B post a total of 321 on the board despite suffering a massive collapse.
Saini’s absence from Test cricket
Saini has had his troubles with injuries. He was a net bowler on Australia tour but injuries to prominent players let to his Test debut. He has four wickets from two Tests.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
