Gautam Gambhir blasts Bishan Singh Bedi and Chetan Chauhan after Navdeep Saini’s impressive debut against West Indies

Team India are in firm control in the first T20I against West Indies in Lauderhill, Florida. The bowlers have dismissed the nine West Indies batsmen cheaply as they were only able to manage a score of 95 runs in first T20I. Washington Sundar picked up a wicket in the first over itself and the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed continued the good work. But it was Navdeep Saini who hogged all the limelight on his international debut.

Coming on to bowl in the fifth over, Navdeep was blasted for a six by Nicholas Pooran on his second delivery. But he struck back in the next few balls as Saini took the wickets of Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer on successive deliveries. It was an amazing start to his international career.

READ | India vs West Indies 1st T20 International highlights

His former Delhi captain, Gautam Gambhir was quick to congratulate Saini on his successful India debut. But he also took shots at former cricketers Bishan Singh Bedi and Chetan Chauhan as he stated that both the administrators tried to block Saini’s path into the Delhi Ranji squad.

‘Kudos Navdeep Saini on ur India debut. U already have 2 wkts even before u have bowled— @BishanBedi & @ChetanChauhanCr. Their middle stumps are gone seeing debut of a player whose cricketing obituary they wrote even before he stepped on the field, shame!!! @BCCI,’ Gambhir tweeted.

Gambhir had hit out at Delhi District Cricket Association members Bedi and Chauhan last year. Both the administrators were part of a group in DDCA that had opposed Gambhir’s plea to get Saini to play for Delhi Ranji team. It was alleged that Saini, a Karnal-born pacer, had not represented Delhi in age group cricket and was seen as an ‘outsider’ in the squad.

Saini eventually finished with figures of 3/17 in his four overs as West Indies gave India a target of 96 runs to chase in the first T20I.