Reports: Wriddhiman Saha Will Be the First-choice Wicketkeeper in England
Jun 21, 2018 at 12:46 PM
Indian cricket team’s premier Test wicketkeeper-batsman, Wriddhiman Saha will remain the prime choice in the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting on August 1 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, West Bengal-based Saha missed the recently concluded One-off historic Test against Afghanistan at Bengaluru. In the iconic Test, India thumped the debutants by an innings and 262 runs within two days.
India posted 474 runs in their first innings with opening pair Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay notching up a ton each.
Furthermore, the bowlers backed up Team India while picking 20 wickets within two sessions. The spinners did the bulk of the job, well-supported by the seamers.
Saha, however, is nursing a thumb injury which he sustained during the Qualifier second of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
Although Saha didn’t have a good time with the bat, he was brilliant with gloves on. He managed to score only 122 runs from 11 games this year for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Despite going through a lean patch, Saha will be the first pick in the United Kingdom (UK) tour. Although Karthik replaced Saha in the Afghanistan game but failed to make an impact.
Also, as per reports in Indian Express, National Cricket Academy (NCA) is monitoring Saha’s progress.
“His day-to-day progress is monitored at the NCA. His treatment, diet; everything. He is the team management’s first-choice ‘keeper,” a source reveals.
Since the retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Saha has made this position his own. In 32 Tests, he has scored 1,164 runs at an average just over 30.
However, he has been the best in the business behind the stumps with 75 catches and 10 stumpings.
The 33-year-old Wriddhiman Saha will be keen to do well in the challenging conditions against Joe Root-led England.
Also read: Mahela Jayawardene to lead MCC in a Triangular Tournament