The injury concerns of the Indian cricket team increased in the Brisbane Test against Australia on Friday as Navdeep Saini also joined the list of the injured in an action-packed post-lunch session. When Navdeep Saini came on to bowl his eighth over of the match, there was plenty of drama. On the fifth ball, Navdeep Saini bowled a brilliant delivery that straightened off the seam just outside off and Marnus Labuschagne got an outside edge to gully. However, India cricket team skipper Ajinkya Rahane, normally a wonderful slips fielder, dropped an absolute sitter and he gave Marnus Labuschagne a life. However, the drama did not end there. As Navdeep Saini prepared to bowl his next ball, Navdeep Saini apparently pulled his hamstring and did some stretching exercises. The physio came out and Navdeep Saini walked off the field as Rohit Sharma finished the over.
Navdeep Saini will undergo scans and his status will be known later in the day but this latest development has not helped the Indian cricket team at all. The side is already dealing with injuries to Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Hanuma Vihari who were all sidelined after the epic draw in Sydney. Navdeep Saini's addition will already add to the woes of the depleted squad and it will put more strain on Ajinkya Rahane's bowling resources which are already thin.
India seize the initiative
Despite Navdeep Saini's injury, India is still holding their own in the Gabba Test against Australia after the hosts chose to bat. Mohammad Siraj removed David Warner in the first over while Shardul Thakur got the better of Marcus Harris with his first ball in Test cricket in Australia. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne stitched a brilliant partnership in excess of fifty but in the post-lunch session, Washington Sundar had a moment to cherish as he dismissed Steve Smith for 36 with a flighted delivery that he whipped to short midwicket.
The drop by Ajinkya Rahane and Navdeep Saini's injury threatens to stall India's momentum but Australia is not helping themselves with another poor performance with the bat.
