The Indian Premier League is ultimately a platform for young Indian players to showcase their talents and grab the attention of the Indian management, fast tracking their entry into the national team.

While it is true you will never find a Test talent like Cheteshwar Pujara in IPL, or even a reliable ODI player for that matter, there are a few traits that can be ascertained the T20 league – whether a batsman can hit the long ball consistently, is a bowler calm during the death overs, how quick can a pacer bowl and so on.

T20 tournaments have a good record of unearthing quality quicks, with Jasprit Bumrah being the best example. This season, it’s Royal Challengers Bangalore fast bowler Navdeep Saini who has caused a stir by cranking up the speed gun.

In two matches so far, the Delhi based quick has nudged the 150kph mark. In the opening game against Chennai Super Kings, skipper Virat Kohli singled out Saini for being a potential match-winner.

“Saini is promising, He is touching 150kph. He is going to be a lethal weapon,” Kohli said.

In his second match against Mumbai Indians, Saini was at it again. In his first over, Saini cranked up the speed gun to 145, 147 and then 150 kph.

The Delhi quick has been a consistent performer in first-class cricket and given that the national captain is also from his state and IPL franchise, it should open the doors for national selection sometime in 2019.

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