Indian speedster Navdeep Saini will be representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. He was bought for INR 2.6 crore by the franchise in the auction. The Delhi-born is one of the fastest bowlers in India and will be a great addition to the team’s pace battery.
Saini was elated to be joining the Royals. “It’s wonderful to play for a franchise like Rajasthan Royals, who were the first-ever champions of the IPL. I’m looking forward to working with the very experienced coaching group and a talented group of players.
“The Royals are known for fostering a fantastic atmosphere around the group. I’m simply looking to experience that and connect with everyone and get going this season,” said the Indian speedster.
“I am most looking forward to connecting with Trent Boult during the IPL. He is someone who has achieved so much in both international and IPL cricket, and it’ll be a great experience to just speak to him about various aspects of fast bowling. I’ll be most focused on observing him go about his business, and hopefully, that should also help in improving my own game,” added Saini.
Another great thing for Saini is the bond he shares with the Royals captain Sanju Samson. “I share a great rapport with Sanju. I have spent a lot of time with him at the national team and have had a lot of discussions with him off the field.
“I feel it’s going to be a fresh experience, playing under him; he’s someone who creates a fun atmosphere around the team which helps everyone settle in quickly and feel a part of the team,” the right-arm fast added.
A primary concern for him in his career till now has been the constant injuries he suffers. He also had to miss a significant part of the 2021 season for the same reason. “I wasn’t able to play a lot of matches last season, but I think I’m coming into this season on the back of a lot of hard work.”
Saini will be eyeing to bag a place in the starting eleven of the Royals. However, that won’t be an easy task for him as the former RCB seamer is way down the pecking order.
The Indian T20 extravaganza will begin on March 29, 2022. Whereas, RR will play their first game on March 29 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.