India pacer Navdeep Saini gets married to girlfriend Swati Asthana; Meet ‘pink cap girl’ who had gone viral during IND Vs ENG Test

India pacer Navdeep Saini tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Swati Asthana on Thursday, November 23. The right-arm pacer, who hails from Haryana, announced the beginning of their “new chapter” on his Instagram account by sharing their wedding photos. Saini’s international career got a kick-start in 2019 when he made his ODI and T20 debut for India.

“With you, every day is a day of love. Today, we decided on forever! Seeking all your blessings and love as we start a new chapter of our life,” Saini posted on Instagram.

Going by her Instagram bio, Swati is a fashion, travel, and lifetime vlogger who also manages a YouTube channel. She has over 80,000 followers on Instagram. There are reports that Swati has also worked previously as an Air Hostess. It is not sure whether the Indian pacer started dating Swati after she went viral on social media or before.

Notably, the bride went viral wearing a pink cap during the India-England Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The newlyweds received congratulatory messages from fellow Indian cricketers Mohammed Siraj, Rahul Tewatia, Mohsin Khan, Umran Malik, and Arshdeep Singh. Saini becomes the fifth Indian cricketer to get married this year after KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shardul Thakur.

Can Saini excel for RR in IPL 2024?

Although Saini has been playing for Delhi since 2013, it took him another six years to play for the senior Indian team. The 31-year-old has represented India in all three formats but has always been an out-of-favour bowler due to his lack of consistency and efficiency. He has played 11 T20Is, 8 ODIs and 2 Tests for India, taking 13, 6 and 4 wickets respectively.

Saini was last seen in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Delhi were eliminated in the semi-final against Punjab, with Saini registering disappointing figures of 0/32 in three overs. He managed to pick up just four wickets in seven games of the tournament. Notably, he was part of the Rest of India (ROI) side that won the Irani Cup in October.

Saini is currently part of Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he failed to make a mark in the previous season. He had a decent campaign in the 2019 IPL but has struggled in the competition since then, playing just six matches in the last three years. He took three wickets from two matches in the 2023 season for RR.