IPL 2019: Virat Kohli backs Navdeep Saini to come good in upcoming matches for RCB

Royal Challengers Bangalore must have hoped for a change of fortunes in the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, in their opening game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the RCB team was forced to relive their IPL 2017 and IPL 2018 experiences, as they were bowled out for just 70 and lost the match by 7 wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Royal Challengers Bangalore had given debuts to Shimron Hetmyer, Navdeep Saini and Shivam Dube. Hetmyer was runout after not being able to open his account, while Dube was spun out by CSK bowlers. The Virat Kohli-led Bangalore side was routed on a rank turner which they read wrong. CSK spinners just didn’t give their batsmen any chance and only Parthiv Patel made a double-digit score.

Navdeep Saini impressed with the pace

Navdeep Saini finally got a chance to debut for RCB after spending IPL 2018 on the bench and though he didn’t pick any wickets in his four overs and gave away 24 runs, he made an impression with his pace and bounce and even pinged Shane Watson on his helmet with a vicious bouncer.

Chahal and Ali picked a wicket each with Chahal giving away just 6 runs in his 4 overs, Saini was the one who impressed captain Kohli the most. “Navdeep will play a big role in the time to come. He has been good in conditions where there’s some grass, he has got his chance now,” Kohli was quoted saying in a post-match interview by The Times of India (TOI).

Saini along with Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav troubled the CSK batting on a turning track with the pace and bounce and Saini has a very impressive record for Delhi in the Indian domestic cricket circuit. Saini will get a chance to impress Kohli and everyone else when Royal Challenger Bangalore faces Mumbai Indians next in their own den, the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on March 28 (Thursday).

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