SL vs IND 2nd T20I: India's bowling coach gives update on Navdeep Saini's shoulder injury

Team India pacer Navdeep Saini may be forced to miss the upcoming SL vs IND 3rd T20I following an injury to his shoulder during the SL vs IND 2nd T20I. The host won the SL vs IND 2nd T20I against the Men in Blue by four wickets to level the three-match T20I series at 1-1. Saini's injury comes as a big blow for Shikhar Dhawan led side who are already depleted with eight of its players in isolation following all-rounder Krunal Pandya's positive COVID-19 test.

Navdeep Saini injury update

Team India's bowling coach in Sri Lanka Paras Mhambrey in his post-match press conference has said that the BCCI medical team is assessing the pacer. He said, "In Navdeep's case, I think the medical team is handling him. We will assess the situation, maybe tonight or in the morning and take a decision accordingly". He further said "And I think, once the decision is finalised and conveyed to the selectors and the coach, I think we will go ahead and then if needed we need to make any changes, we will do that,"Saini was taken off the field in the penultimate over of the Sri Lanka innings when he injured his shoulder while fielding at extra cover. The Delhi pacer had not bowled a single over during the match. 

Recap of SL vs IND 2nd T20I 

Sri Lanka after winning the toss asked India to bat first with players  Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Rana and Chetan Sakariya being handed their debut. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan along with Ruturaj Gaikwad gave the team a decent start at the top, however, Gaikwad was removed by Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka for just 21 runs. Paddikal scored 29 off 23 balls before being dismissed by Hasaranga. Apart from Dhawan, who top-scored with 40 runs no other batsmen managed to get big runs as the Lankan bowlers kept the pressure on the visiting team by picking up wickets. In the end India finished on 132/5 from their 20 overs.

Sri Lanka lost Avishka Fernando and Sadeera Samarawickrama and skipper Dasun Shanaka early, but wicketkeeper Minod Bhanuka and Dhananjaya de Silva kept the team alive in the run chase. Bhanuka was dismissed for 36 by Kuldeep Yadav, however, de Silva stayed till the end with an unbeaten 40 run knock to star the team to victory with just 4 wickets to spare.

Image: AP/ Paras Mhambrey / Twitter