Navdeep Saini’s name once carried weight in Indian cricketing circles. As a bowler who could reach speeds of up to 150 kmph, Navdeep Saini was known for his ability to hurry the batters. But as things stand today, those memories feel distant. Three games into the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025, Saini’s return to form is still nowhere in sight. His performances are doing little to change the perception of a fast bowler fighting against time.
Another forgettable outing for Navdeep Saini
East Delhi Riders entered their latest clash against New Delhi Tigers with momentum firmly on their side. The two left-arm spinners, Rounak Waghela and Ashish Meena, operating in tandem, had stifled the opposition through the middle overs, building pressure on a surface that was hardly ideal for big-hitting. That’s where Saini was supposed to step in, to capitalise on the chokehold. Instead, he undid all the hard work.
Bowling his usual hard lengths, Saini offered predictability. Although he occasionally adjusted his pace, the absence of bouncers and yorkers was particularly surprising. Batters, well set by then, feasted on his back-of-length deliveries and turned the tide in New Delhi’s favour. His spell of 1/52 meant East Delhi Riders conceded 172 on a pitch that demanded questioned from the batters, not fireworks.
Deepak Punia (41 off 15), the hard-hitter for New Delhi Tigers, particularly caused mayhem. He hammered Saini for 23 runs in just seven deliveries. In the powerplay, opener Shivam Gupta (38) also hit Saini for 18 runs in 10 balls.
Saini needs to fire & quick
This wasn’t just a one-off performance either. Saini’s numbers have been quite poor. He has gotten his maiden DPL 2025 wicekt in the third game, that too came at a juncture when batters tried to hoick everything out of the ground. Saini’s economy of 10.55, and a staggering strike rate of 66 just paint a sorry picture.
In his DPL opener, he went wicketless for 36 runs. Then came another quiet outing against West Delhi Legends (0/28) before this latest hammering at the hands of New Delhi Tigers.
For someone who went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, DPL was supposed to be the platform to reclaim lost ground. Instead, it has been a continuation of his struggles. Last year too, Saini managed just two wickets in five games at a dismal economy of 10.43. At 32, the margin for error has shrunk massively as well.
