Made satisfying arrangements at home for training, asserts Navdeep Saini

As India is still under the 21-day lockdown phase, Navdeep Saini is self-isolating at his home in Haryana but even without the access to the field, the pacer hasn’t been staying away from cricket. He has admitted that he is used to his full run-up, which is not possible in a confined space, but it’s completing his action is what matters and he is training it out at this courtyard. Saini has been using tennis balls to keep his bowling rhythm up, while running and exercise are for well-maintained fitness levels.

“Tab chhota tha jo jagah mil jati thi ball dalne k liye (Didn’t require much room to bowl when I was a kid. As far as bowling is concerned, I can never live without it, I’m doing it with tennis balls. Jitna bhi hota hai thik hai, feel aa jati hai aur halki practice bhi (Satisfied with whatever practice I’m getting, I just get the feel),” Navdeep told Hindustan Times.

“I have made all the arrangements at home. Have been training, doing exercise on a daily basis to keep myself fit.”

Had the IPL been underway, given the COVID-19 pandemic never occurred, Saini would have been representing the RCB. While it is a disappointment that the high-profile event is on the verge of cancellation, the 27-year-old believes that safety and health come first. 

“IPL is one of the biggest tournaments, so no doubt it will be disappointing if it doesn’t happen. But the kind of situation we are in, health is more important. Before being cricketers, we are human beings. If we humans survive, only then we can think about cricket in future. So it’s not that big an issue that cricket is not happening,” he added.