IND vs SL | Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur have pounced on their opportunity, asserts Mohammad Kaif

While all eyes were set on Jasprit Bumrah, India's ace pacer who made his comeback to international cricket on Tuesday, it was Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur who stole the show in India's comfortable victory over Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Indore. After having witnessed the show, Mohammad Kaif opined that it was a good sign for Indian cricket that players like Saini and Thakur stepped up in the limited opportunities that they got. The former Indian cricketer feels that the combo of Saini and Thakur, with change in pace and variations, respectively, is invaluable for India's cause. Kaif also pointed out that this Indian team is not all Bumrah-heavy and that's a positive going ahead.

"Both these bowlers (Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur) have bowled with different styles of bowling. Saini bowled with sheer pace and attacked the batsman and looked to pick wickets. Thakur showed a lot of variations like the knuckleball and the slower ball. We are not at all talking about Bumrah and this is a really good sign for Indian cricket," Kaif said in a post-match chat show on Cricbuzz. 

Thakur ended with figures of 3/23 while Saini, the man of the match, had figures of 2/18 and India restricted Sri Lanka to just 142-9 in their 20 overs, chasing down the target with seven wickets in hand.

"Saini and Thakur have pounced on the limited opportunity that they got and it is very heartening to see that Indian cricket's future is in safe hands," Kaif stated.