Widely considered one of the best wicketkeepers in the history of Indian cricket, Wriddhiman Saha served as the national team’s wicketkeeper in 40 Tests. Due to his outstanding keeping abilities, Saha’s retention on the Indian side mostly went unchallenged by selectors and team management alike until 2022, when Rishabh Pant soared in favor of the management which henceforth had established him as their No. 1 choice both in the subcontinent and overseas, signing the exit papers for Saha.
Since then, the wicketkeeper had no returns for the times. Whatever may have been suffering during this time, Saha has nothing against his ouster from the selectors, captain, coach, or any other members of the team.
“I wouldn’t call it injustice. That would be selfish. Maybe it wasn’t just one person’s decision. They made their choices based on me not delivering enough or because I wasn’t good enough, perhaps,” Saha said to reporters in Kolkata after his last match in professional cricket, for Bengal versus Punjab.
“If I had performed better, this wouldn’t have happened. I don’t dwell on it — I just take the positives from whatever comes my way,” he added.
Saha added that if it hadn’t been for his wife and another ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly, he would have bid farewell to professional cricket much earlier than now.
“If I had been in the team, it would have contributed to my Catches or good innings. I have done my best for Bengal. Out of the ten catches I have taken, none would be classed as -simple, or as “my pride”- drops. It is the end, and I have enjoyed every bit of it,” he said.
“Retirement was apparent in the last season. I did not do it because of Dadi (Sourav Ganguly) and my wife Romi, who later enabled this season. Otherwise, I would have retired,” he disclosed.
Saha, at 40, retires as one of the best-ever keepers in India’s history.
“I have always been like this. It is my choice of being carefree. I do not like to draw attention. I just want to remain that humble player in the field. I have always been comfortable with that.”
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