Navdeep Saini picks up fifer to bowl out England Lions

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Navdeep Saini made the headlines as he picked up five wickets in the ongoing four-day fixture between India ‘A’ and England Lions at the Krishnagiri Stadium in Kerala. After bagging two wickets on day one, Saini picked up another three British scalps on day two to restrict the visitors to 340.

The England Lions squad are currently on tour of India and are involved in a four-day match against Rahul Dravid’s - India ‘A’. The visitors endured a productive day one with the bat as they looked in total control nearing 300 with the loss of just five wickets. However, Delhi pacer Navdeep Saini had other plans.

Saini, who impressed for the Delhi state team over the last couple of seasons, had picked two wickets on the opening day despite bowling wide off the stumps. The 26-year old learned from that and decided to attack the stumps right from the word go on day two. That proved to be the game changer as he claimed three more British scalps to restrict the visitors to 340 in what turned out to be a crucial morning session at the at the Krishnagiri Stadium in Kerala.

"I went back in the night and realised what I was doing wrong and where I can improve. I thought of only that all night. Bowling good line and length is my strength. Top of the stump at a straight line is what I bowled today," Saini told PTI sources at the end of the day's play.

Saini, who was retained by IPL franchise - Royal Challengers Bangalore, finished with 5/79 in 23.4 overs, his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. The right-arm pacer was the leading wicket-taker for the Delhi team during the 2017-18 season as they made the finals picking up 34 wickets in the process. His ability to bowl at close to 90 miles an hour on a regular basis gave him into the India squad for the inaugural Afghanistan Test in 2018.

"My only intention is that whichever match I play, I have to perform well in that. If we think too much about those things (India selection), then we get worried. It’s better to concentrate on the match we are currently playing," said the 26-year-old bowler.

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