My son has put Taraori on India's map: Navdeep's father

CHANDIGARH: Taraori, a village in Haryana's Karnal district, is famous for top-class Basmati rice. However, it is also the place from where India's speedster Navdeep Saini started his journey to the Indian cricket team.
"My son has changed our fortune, and now after playing for India, he has put our village on India's map. We are so proud of him," said Navdeep Saini's father.

Navdeep Saini's 97-year-old grandfather Karam Singh Saini, a veteran of the Azad Hind Fauj, broke into tears when he saw his grandson singing the national anthem in both the Test matches.
"My father is 97, but he used to wake up early every day and hardly missed a single ball. He cried twice in both the Test matches during the national anthem. It was an emotional moment for all of us," said Saini.

On the opening day of the Brisbane Test, Saini limped off after sustaining a groin injury. The injury put a question mark on his availability for the remainder of the match. But the 28-year-old, who has known greater adversity in his life, not only came back to bat but also bowled a few overs in Australia's second innings.
"The entire village was standing outside our house. The villagers only left when Navdeep told us that there is nothing serious in the scan and he will bowl in the second innings," said Amarjeet.