Indian speedster Navdeep Saini impressed everyone with his performance in the recently concluded T20I series against West Indies. Saini picked 5 wickets in 3 T20Is with an economy of just above 7 (7.09 to be precise). Hence, Indian team management has decided to keep the 26-year-old as a net bowler for the two-Test series against the West Indies.

While talking to PTI about Saini, a senior BCCI official confirmed that, “Yes, Navdeep Saini has been asked to stay back by the team management for the Test series. He will stay back primarily as a net bowler, they want to groom him for the Test format keeping an eye on the future.”

“Saini has been a performer in red ball cricket for the past few years. He has the pace, and ability to hit the deck, move the ball both in air and off the pitch. If he is groomed well, it will only increase our pool of fast bowlers for the top tier cricket. That’s how the team management is looking at him,” the official added.

The team management believes that, if Saini stays back, it will help bowling coach Bharat Arun to invest more time in the fast bowler from Karnal who has taken 120 wickets from 43 first-class games with three five-wicket hauls.

“One can’t ignore the effort that Arun has put in to make India’s fast bowling unit the best that has emerged from the country. Rather than playing domestic cricket, he now needs to be in and around the international scene and learn the tricks of the trade for the next level,” he said.

After West Indies series, Team India is scheduled to take on South Africa and Bangladesh at home. So, the management will be looking to give Saini a shot in order to manage Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami’s respective workloads.

(With PTI inputs)