IPL 2020: With An Average Of 145kmph, Is Ace Bowler Navdeep Saini India's Shoaib Akhtar?

Navdeep Saini has left everyone impressed with his innings at the Royal Challengers Bangalore Vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) IPL match on Monday.

Image (Twitter/ Royal Challengers Bangalore )

IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore's Navdeep Saini is being touted as India’s Shoiab Akhtar. And after taking double wicket in one over in the winning opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2020 on Monday in Dubai, the doubts are disappearing. The 27-year old tearaway speedster Saini hailing from Haryana is known for clocking an average pace of 145kmph. A report by IANS says that teh ace bowler came to the spotlight during the IPL last season where he impressed everyone especially Captain Virat Kohli with his  wicket-taking ability. He was able to take 11 wickets in his debut season. "Virat bhaiya has played a big role in my career. I played IPL for the first time with the RCB under Virat bhaiya. He is always accommodating and listens to me all the time. He backs me in whatever I want to do on the field," said Saini in the report. The cricketer made his debut in 2019 against the West Indies in a T20 game at Lauderhill, USA, in August whewre he bagged three wickets for 17 runs. Saini who started playing in Twenty20  in 2016 in the 2015–16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has so far played 10 T20s and five ODIs, his last assignment being on India's tour of New Zealand. He has taken 18 wickets so far for India in the two white-ball formats and is yet to make his debut in Test cricket. "I played IPL with RCB for the first time and did quite well. Then I made my debut for the country in T20s and ODIs. The best part is that I am learning things faster so that I can sharpen my skill and give match-winning performances. I give my all in practice sessions and I am working on helping the team with match-winning performances. That is what I want," said Saini in the report. One of his memorable moment was during T20I game played against Sri Lanka at the Holkar Stadium where his ball breached 150-kmph  when he bowled to Oshada Fernando. He had also bowled a 148kmph yorker to crash into the middle-and-leg stumps of opener Danushka Gunathilaka. Young players like Navdeep Saini and batsman Devdutt Padikkal is leaving everyone excited for the future of Indian cricket.