\u201cSee, it is a big thing for me too to be playing with Kohli because he is a legend. To share the dressing room and play with him, the other players\u2019 energy goes up automatically. Over the last two days, our practice sessions were just different. Because his energy was so high, our energy was also high. He was very involved on the field and was talking to all the bowlers and our captain.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cKohli\u2019s effort whether he is batting, fielding or in the gym is always \u2018110%\u2019. Seeing him in training, you are compelled to follow that. It spills over to the ground as well. No, we were not expecting so many people. But yes, while entering the ground in the morning, the queue was so long that we sensed a crowd of this magnitude would come,\u201d said Saini to reporters at the close of day one\u2019s play.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked if there was pressure on the young guys in the Delhi team to play with such a rare big crowd in attendance, Saini stated, \u201cFor the young guys, it was a proud feeling to share the dressing room with Virat. For a fielder at slip to be alongside him or for a bowler to ask him how to be better on the field, it was a golden opportunity for everybody to learn.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
One of the highlights of the day came when in a bid to get another maximum, Karn Sharma went for a big shot, but fell to a brilliant relay catch by Yash Dhull in the deep. Kohli was the first person to appreciate Dhull for his great catch, and that led to a huge cheer from the crowd who began chanting \u201cKohli, Kohli\u201d for the umpteenth time in the day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe captain and I spoke about the short-ball strategy and Virat also had a word with Badoni. There wasn\u2019t much happening from the pitch and we had tried to be patient. So after that, we resorted to bowling bouncers, we knew we could concede a few runs but a wicket-taking opportunity would also arise. That is what happened,\u201d added Saini.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also quipped it was a surprise for him to see the pitch with a greenish tinge easing out in post-lunch play. \u201cIt did feel that the pitch and weather conditions were suitable for bowling in the morning session. But we also didn\u2019t expect the pitch to play as it did during the second session.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On the personal front, it\u2019s been a season where Saini has turned out consistently for Delhi, barring the times he was in Australia as India A team member and later with the main Test team as a reserve bowler. For someone who\u2019s played all three formats for India, the last two-three years have been a bit of a lull for Saini, as injuries hampered his progress too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But on Thursday, Saini was one of the pillars being Delhi\u2019s phenomenal fast-bowling performance, including sending Vivek Singh\u2019s off-stump on a cartwheel ride. He credited this good run to continuously playing matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAbsolutely, like after last IPL, I played DPL and then Duleep Trophy. When you keep playing continuously, that's when you get improvement. You can practice as much as you want on the nets. But until you don't play the match, you won't have that mindset. You can focus on practice as much as you want, but the situation of the match is different.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But on Thursday, Saini was one of the pillars being Delhi\u2019s phenomenal fast-bowling performance, including sending Vivek Singh\u2019s off-stump on a cartwheel ride. He credited this good run to continuously playing matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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