WATCH: Did Delhi tailender Navdeep Saini faked injury to avoid defeat against Tamil Nadu?

Ranji Trophy, a prestigious tournament often hailed for its spirit of sportsmanship, was marred by a disgraceful incident involving Delhi fast bowler Navdeep Saini. In a match against Tamil Nadu, Saini’s act to save his team from a certain defeat, have sparked widespread outrage and calls for stricter penalties against his behaviour.

The game, played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, was a one-sided affair from the outset. Tamil Nadu, led by Baba Aparajith, amassed a formidable total of 674/6 in their first innings, with Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar scoring double centuries. Delhi, in response, were bowled out for 266. With the pitch deteriorating, Tamil Nadu enforced a follow-on, hoping to secure a quick victory. Delhi’s batting woes continued, and they were reduced to 161/6 before Saini walked in to bat.

Navdeep Singh’s dramatic collapse on the field

Facing a short-pitched delivery, Saini ducked to avoid the ball, which hit his helmet and rebounded to the wicketkeeper. He signalled to the bowler that he was fine, but then, in a shocking display of dishonesty, he dramatically collapsed to the ground, clutching his head. The physio was summoned, and play was halted.

Saini’s actions were met with disbelief and anger from cricket enthusiasts. They believed that he had intentionally faked the injury to gain time for his team, who were struggling to avoid defeat.

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Here’s the video:

Inga enna award aaa kudukaraango!! Ipdi act panriye. Saini time wasting tactics cost TN an outright innings victory. @JayShah bro, something needs to be done about this. We always seem at the receiving end. Lackadaisical umpiring too. Penalties need to be given! #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/nT4GOEG6qQ

— Srini Mama (@SriniMaama16) October 21, 2024

Saini’s action calls for stricter penalties

The incident has reignited the debate about the need for stricter penalties against players who engage in such behaviour. While the BCCI has taken steps to address the issue of poor sportsmanship, there is a growing consensus that more needs to be done to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Saini’s blatant attempt to deceive the opposition and the umpires has tarnished his reputation and raised questions about his sportsmanship.

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