Wriddhiman Saha has opted out of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy squad for the upcoming season. It has been learnt that the 37-year-old was categorically told that he will not be picked for India’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on March 4. Notably, Wriddhiman Saha has played a handful of Test matches since the emergence of Rishabh Pant.
Following MS Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket in 2015, the Bengal cricketer became the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the longest format. Although his précised glovework earned massive praises, his inconsistency with the bat received criticism as well. He even played some Tests after Rishabh Pant’s debut in 2018.
Wriddhiman Saha Categorically Told By BCCI Influential People That They Want To Move On
However, post-India’s 2-1 triumph in Australia last year, Wriddhiman Saha has been travelling with the side as the southpaw’s back-up. His last Test appearance was recorded against New Zealand in November last year as Rishabh Pant was provided rest in that series. With Wriddhiman Saha now being in the twilight of his career, the new team management wants to move on and they conveyed the same to the national selectors.
“Wriddhiman has been categorically told by influential people in the team management that they want to move on and create some new back-ups alongside Rishabh Pant. He was explained that he won’t be picked for the Sri Lanka Tests as it’s time that KS Bharat gets his share of exposure with the senior team,” a senior BCCI source privy to developments was quoted as saying.
“May be that’s the reason, Wriddhiman had informed Cricket Association of Bengal president Abhishek Dalmiya and joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly that he would not play Ranji Trophy this season for ‘personal reasons’. That’s why the selectors didn’t pick him as he was unavailable for selection,” the source added.
It is learnt that Wriddhiman Saha, who is not a part of India’s white-ball set up also did not attend a single session of Bengal’s pre-season Ranji Trophy camp. The BCCI selectors feel that the 37-year-old must make way for the young KS Bharat, who kept well in a Test against New Zealand in Kanpur recently, as a substitute wicketkeeper.
Bengal Picked 2 Wicketkeepers Abhishek Porel And Shakir Habib Gandhi In 22 Men Squad For Ranji Trophy
Meanwhile, the Bengal selection committee has named a 22-member squad, including two wicketkeeper batters Abhishek Porel and Shakir Habib Gandhi, for the group league phase. Bengal selection committee, headed by Subhamoy Das, on the day named a 22-member squad, including two wicketkeeper batters Abhishek Porel and Shakir Habib Gandhi, for the group league phase.
“During meeting chairman of selectors Subhamoy had asked secretary and convenor of senior selection committee Snehasish Ganguly about Wriddhi’s availability. They said that Wriddhi has informed that he shouldn’t be considered for Bengal for Ranji Trophy for the season,” a source close to Bengal team management said.
Wriddhiman Saha has played 40 Tests and scored 1353 runs with three hundreds and an average of less than 30 which became his undoing. He however had 104 dismissals behind stumps, 92 catches and 12 stumpings.
Wriddhiman Saha is an experienced campaigner in India First-Class cricket as well, playing 122 FC matches, scoring 6423 runs with a best of 203*. He has 350 dismissals in FC cricket for various teams. He also has 2762 runs in 102 List-A games, while in 209 T20s, he has made 3650 runs with two centuries.
He has played his part as a makeshift opener for Sunrisers Hyderabad for the last couple of seasons, and has the record of scoring a century in an IPL final (2014) for KXIP but had to finish on the losing side.
He recently played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL since 2018 after representing KKR, CSK, and KXIP. He debuted for India in 2010 and played 40 Tests and 9 ODIs for India. He has played 133 IPL games since debuting in IPL’s inaugural year in 2008 and has scored 2110 runs averaging 24.53.