Wriddhiman Saha Opens Up About His Long Troubling Injuries

Mar 18, 2019 at 10:54 PM

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Wriddhiman Saha Opens Up About His Long Troubling Injuries

Indian Test wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha had a bright career in the longer format before the injuries had suddenly stopped his cricket career for almost a season. Recently, he has clarified about his fitness issues.

Wriddhiman Saha’s Test career was smoothly running before the injuries hit his cricket career badly. Post MS Dhoni’s Test retirement, Wriddhiman Saha brilliantly handled the Test wicketkeeper-batsman role until January 2018. During India’s tour of South Africa in January 2018, he faced the shoulder injury after the first Test and missed out the remaining tour.

However, he was match-fit before the beginning of IPL 2018. He played 11 matches in IPL 2018 but by the end of the tournament, he first faced the right-thumb injury and then his shoulder injury came back to make more trouble.

Since then, Wriddhiman Saha was totally out from the cricket. He also had the shoulder surgery and missed the cricket for almost six months.

Just recently, during the 2018/19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he made a comeback in cricket. The Bengal cricketer performed very positively in that tournament.

In a recent interview with Mumbai Mirror, Wriddhiman Saha shared his hard experiences during that injury period.

He told Mumbai Mirror, “During the IPL, I was practising as intensely as I always do. You can’t train conservatively because you had an injury. Maybe while diving at nets or during a match…I don’t know…I might have hurt my shoulder again. So I might have aggravated the old injury, though I assure I had recovered. It’s like an old wound opening up after something hits you there.”

I stayed away from cricket for six months to ensure that I return with full fitness

Wriddhiman Saha, injuries
Wriddhiman Saha (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Those injury issues have forced him to miss some crucial away international tours. In January 2018, he mostly missed the South Africa tour. Later, he missed the crucial England and Australia tours.

When Wriddhiman Saha was asked about missing some great opportunities, he said, “I can’t be conceding byes and playing too carefully in order to last the whole season. As I said, that’s not how I play. I merely react to the ball, and if in the process I injure myself, it’s something I’ve to accept and live with. There’s a reason I opted for surgery (laberal repair on his shoulder in Manchester). I stayed away from the game for six months to ensure that when I return to cricket, I do so with full fitness.”

Later, the 34-year-old revealed that every one of his family supported him at those tough moments. Apart from his family, Wriddhiman Saha also credited his trainers at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to help him to grow up.

He said, “Each one in my family — parents, wife and in-laws — friends, trainers at the National Cricket Academy were my pillar of strength during my time away from the game. During my rehab at the NCA, I was allowed to return home for a few days. My daughter would ask me often, “You will go back again?” It wasn’t easy.”

My focus has always been longterm

Wriddhiman Saha, injuries
Wriddhiman Saha (Image Credit: Google)

As many youngsters are growing up, it will be tougher for the 34-year-old Wriddhiman Saha to make another solid impact for the national team. However, he is confident enough about himself as he is training with the same past stamina.

He said, “I haven’t changed my outlook towards training at this age. The way I looked at my career three-four years back hasn’t changed at all. In honing my technique and preparing for any series, my focus has always been longterm. I still train with the same zeal.”

Wriddhiman Saha made his international cricket debut in February 2010 through the Test cricket. Later, in November 2010, he made his ODI debut. However, since January 2015, Wriddhiman Saha played Test cricket for India regularly before the injuries forced him to miss out the recent Test matches.

He has played 32 Tests where the right-handed batsman scored 1,164 runs with an average of 30.63. The wicketkeeper-batsman has also played nine ODIs where he has scored 41 runs (average 13.66).

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