Despite suffering a groin strain, Indian
fast bowler Navdeep Saini bowled five overs at the last Test match between
India and Australia in Brisbane, fearing he might not get such a big platform
again, PTI reported.
The pacer said he chanced a further aggravation of his injury with the
five over-spell in the match.
“Ajinkya bhaiya asked me If I would be able to
bowl with the injury, I just had to say yes,” Saini, who made his Test
debut in Australia after years of wait, was quoted as saying.
The right-arm pacer took four wickets in his debut
game in Sydney. He suffered the groin injury during the first innings in Gabba, resulting in increased
worries for India, already suffering with multiple replacements due to injury-related
problems and entering the last Test with a bowling attack which had a total
experience of four matches.
The pacer from Haryana, however, chose not to give
up. Much like the largely inexperienced Indian team, Saini showed strong
resolve and said he was wondering as how exactly he was getting injured at such
a crucial juncture.
“I just wished if could keep going with that
injury and support my team. I knew I might not get a stage like that again.
Captain asked me if I could do it. I was in pain but said I would do with
whatever I could”, Saini said.
Fast bowler with a slender frame, Saini made a direct
leap from tennis-ball cricket in Haryana to the Ranji Trophy in 2013,
eventually receiving his maiden Test call-up in 2018.
