Navdeep Saini Makes Long-Awaited IPL Comeback with KKR, Refuses to Compromise on Pace
Navdeep Saini Makes Long-Awaited IPL Comeback with KKR, Refuses to Compromise on Pace
Navdeep Saini, the fiery Indian pacer known for his 150kph deliveries, is set to make his IPL return after a drought of nearly three years. Replacing injured players for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Saini marked his run-up at Eden Gardens on Monday, only for rain to interrupt the proceedings. Despite the stop-start nature of recent years, the 32-year-old views this as a fresh start.
"It's the same feeling as getting selected for your first IPL," Saini told Cricbuzz, reflecting on the excitement mixed with resilience. "I know sometimes (difficult) things happen in life, but you need to keep standing through it."
Saini's career has been a rollercoaster. Pre-pandemic, he burst onto the scene as a maverick fast bowler, earning praise from Gautam Gambhir, now KKR's coach, who once said Saini should make captain Virat Kohli feel like a millionaire for his contributions. Saini played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, securing multi-million-dollar contracts, but injuries derailed his momentum.
Two years ago, during a Ranji Trophy match in Mohali, Saini dislocated his right shoulder after claiming four wickets. Opting for rehabilitation over surgery, he struggled upon return, with a lackluster Delhi Premier League stint haunting him. Excluded from the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy squad despite prior India A and Duleep experience, he hit rock bottom. "I was working so hard, performing for so many years. I told myself: 'This cannot happen,'" he recounted.
His fortunes turned in the Duleep Trophy when Mohammad Siraj's injury opened a door. Saini grabbed it, finishing third in wickets behind Test prospects Mukesh Kumar and Anshul Kamboj. This performance led to his KKR call-up after trials with RCB, RR, and KKR—his third attempt with the latter. Encouraged by support coach Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Saini impressed in a practice match amid injuries to Harshit Rana and Akash Deep.
At KKR, Saini, senior to young quicks like Umran Malik and Kartik Tyagi, offers mentorship drawn from his hardships. "I have seen it on social media, and in other kids as well: they should focus less on training and more on bowling," he advised. "Nowadays, people feel that gymming is the way to make you bowl fast. It doesn't work like that."
Saini's commitment to pace remains unshaken. "If I leave pace, then I can't go back," he said firmly, recalling failed attempts to bowl slower for his body's sake. "(Bowling fast) is how I played for India, reached my dream, followed it and achieved it." Maintaining his lean frame through disciplined diet, sleep, and training, he believes the extra 7-10kph to hit 150kph demands relentless effort.
Post-injury IPL auctions saw him unsold twice, and shockingly dropped from Delhi's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad. "I said: 'How can this happen? Twenty-four boys are going.' I was just waiting for T20s," he shared. A late-season opportunity yielded 3-15 in his first game in over two years, but no immediate IPL breakthrough followed.
Auction day's disappointment, captured in a vlog by his wife Swati Asthana, tested his resolve. Yet, a believer in manifestation, Saini stuck to his routine: three to four bowling sessions weekly plus gym work. Now embracing KKR's camaraderie and guidance from coach Dwayne Bravo, he feels a sense of belonging. "Whether I get selected or not is a different thing, but it felt like I belonged here."
With hopes of an India recall, Saini stays connected to former teammates like Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj. His wolf tattoo symbolizes inspiration during lows. "I am doing everything for that (India cap). But I can't leap to the fifth floor directly. I'll take it step-by-step." As he prepares to unleash his yorkers and bounce, Saini teases new tricks: "I won't tell you now. You'll see it when I play next."