An injury to India pacer Mohammed Shami just three days ahead of Afghanistan’s inaugural Test has opened the doors for Navdeep Saini who has been given a maiden call-up by the selectors.

The 25-year-old Karnal-born pacer has been making waves in the domestic cricket for Delhi for the past few years.

So who exactly is Saini? Here is all you need to know about the right-armed pace bowler.

ORIGINS

Hailing from Karnal in Haryana, Saini did not come from a well to do family with his father working as a driver with the Haryana Government. Unable to afford the fees for joining a cricket academy, the pacer had to make do with playing tennis-ball tournaments.

Using the money made from these tournaments, the youngster joined the Karnal Premier League run by Delhi bowler Sumit Narwal. It was Narwal who first saw the potential in Saini and soon, he convinced the pacer to move to Delhi to join his own academy.

GAMBHIR’S SUPPORT

It was while bowling as a net bowler for Delhi that skipper Gautam Gambhir first laid eyes on Saini and so enamored was the veteran batsman by the youngster’s bowling talent that he fought tooth and nail to get him selected for the Ranji squad.

Gambhir suffered a fallout with Delhi coach Bishan Singh Bedi in his bid to promote Saini along with a few other youngsters and was even handed a four-match ban.

Despite these controversies, Saini was eventually handed his first-class debut in Delhi’s clash against Vidarbha. The then 21-year-old pacer impressed with the ball in his maiden outing with figures of 2-18.

INJURIES AND INCONSISTENCY HAMPER PROGRESSION

Despite bowling with impressive speeds over 140kph, Saini was unable tie down a spot in the Delhi squad for the first three years and was constantly in and out of the side.

He made only five appearances in the Ranji Trophy in the 2015-16 season and followed it up with as many appearances in the subsequent season.

Although his Delhi career had not really taken off, he was selected as part of the India A squad for a practice match against the touring Australia side in the early part of 2017. Saini claimed the wickets of David Warner and Matt Renshaw in the first innings of the warm-up game.

BREAKOUT SEASON

It was in the 2017-18 season that Saini’s breakout year came. The tall and wiry pacer had a dream individual campaign as Delhi went all the way to the finals of the Ranji trophy where they were beaten by Vidarbha.

During the campaign, Saini picked up 34 wickets in just eight matches and was among the top-five wicket-takers for the season.

His crowning moment came in the semi-final of the competition between Delhi and Bengal where the pacer finished with match-winning figures of 7-79 to lead his side to the finals. He picked up a five-wicket haul in the finals but was unable to prevent a defeat for his side.