Arshdeep Singh and Navdeep Saini, two Indian pacers competing in the present County Championship in the UK, are currently making a significant impact for their respective sides. The red-ball stint in England bodes well especially for Saini, who the BCCI has selected in their 17-man squad for the two-Test series in the West Indies.
Arshdeep, playing for Kent in the County Championship Division 1, got rid of Northamptonshire players Emilio Gay and Luke Procter in familiar fashion as Jack Leaning took both catches at second slip. He took figures of 15-1-56-2. Notably, the left-arm seamer couldn't make the cut in the ODI or Test squad. However, he remains in India's T20 plans and could lead the attack once again in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Saini, who is plying his trade for Worcestershire, rearranged Derbyshire opener Harry Came's stumps as the right-hander offered no stroke. While Worcestershire signed the right-arm speedster for four matches, he will only play one and will link up with the national team in the Caribbean.
Navdeep Saini admits he did not expect the call for the West Indies tour:
During a chat with The Indian Express a few days ago, Saini revealed how quickly the call-up for the West Indies tour came along. The 30-year-old remarked:
"I came here to play county (cricket), landing today itself, and the moment I got out from the airport, I received the news that I have been selected for the West Indies tour. Honestly, I was not expecting this call. Yes, during the IPL, I was training with the Dukes ball because I thought I might get picked as a net bowler or would be among the standbys for the World Test Championship final. Hopefully, I will get to play one match before going to the West Indies. It will be good preparation for me to get some overs under my belt."
The Test series against the West Indies starts on July 12th in Dominica.
