Ranji Trophy Final: Last session on last day will decide result, says Saini

Navdeep Saini had come to the Ranji Trophy final, fresh from a fiery performance against Bengal in the semifinals. But the Delhi bowler has been unable to repeat his heroics ever since the action got underway in Indore.

Published : Dec 31, 2017 19:08 IST , INDORE

Delhi's Navdeep Saini has failed to impress with the ball in the ongoing Ranji final against Vidarbha.
Delhi's Navdeep Saini has failed to impress with the ball in the ongoing Ranji final against Vidarbha.
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Delhi's Navdeep Saini has failed to impress with the ball in the ongoing Ranji final against Vidarbha.

Navdeep Saini had come to the Ranji Trophy final, fresh from a fiery performance against Bengal in the semifinals. But the Delhi bowler has been unable to repeat his heroics ever since the action got underway in Indore.

On Sunday, as Vidarbha flexed muscles, Delhi put up a shoddy show on the field—resulting in misfields and catches being dropped.

As it happened: Ranji Trophy Final , Day 3

Speaking to Sportstar after the day’s play, Saini admitted that such situations do irritate a bowler. “You do feel irritated at times. On a track like this, which is not helping the bowlers, and even then, one is trying, it is irritating to see your efforts going down the drain,” Saini said.

But, he was quick to add: “But then, what can be done about it? If we play cricket all our life, these things will keep on happening.”

READ: Ranji Trophy Final: Wadkar, Neral leave Delhi in a spot

In the later spells, Saini was not seen much in action, leading to speculations that he was injured. The medium pacer, however, denied such talks. “It was not an injury, I bowled for long, so I picked up a cramp and that’s why decided to sit out a while. As far as bowling is concerned, it had nothing to do with cramp,” the youngster said.

Morning session crucial

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Saini: "It is unfair to say which way the match will sway."
 

With Vidarbha already reigning supreme, Navdeep admitted that the target would be to pick the remaining three wickets early on Monday to bounce back. “The main target is to dismiss Vidarbha as early as possible,” he said, making it clear that the game will be decided in the final session on the fifth day.

“It is unfair to say which way the match will sway. It will go on until the last session on the last day. That will decide the result,” he hoped.

With things looking tougher for Delhi, Saini felt it was important to remain calm and composed. “We will try to remain normal and won’t think too much about the outcome. If we think too much, it will mess up things,” he said.

When he takes the field on the first day of a new year, Saini would be hoping to get the breakthrough, at the earliest.

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