Wriddhiman Saha will retire from all forms of the game after the ongoing edition of the Ranji Trophy.
The wicketkeeper-batter represented India in 40 Tests between 2010 and 2021, and also featured in nine T20Is apart from featuring in 170 Indian Premier League (IPL) fixtures for various sides - including Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans.
“After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I am honoured to represent Bengal one final time, playing only in the Ranji Trophy before I retire,” Saha stated.
“Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible ride, your support has meant the world. Let’s make this season one to remember…”
Sportstar understands that the 40-year-old is unlikely to feature in next year’s IPL as well as he hasn’t registered himself for the mega auction, scheduled to be held later this month. Even though the cricketer remained mum on the issue, sources indicate that an official announcement in this regard could be made just before the auction.
Having made his First-Class debut back in 2007, Saha played for Bengal for 15 years before moving on to Tripura, after a fallout with certain Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) officials. The then CAB chief Avishek Dalmiya tried convincing Saha, but he indicated that he may no longer play for Bengal.
He was upset with comments by a senior CAB official, who had raised questions over Saha’s commitment after he decided to skip the group stage of the Ranji Trophy due to personal reasons. He even exited the Bengal team’s WhatsApp group, despite coach Arun Lal having a word with the India international.
Under Saha, who played the role of a player-mentor, Tripura performed decently in the domestic tournaments last season. However, following a meeting with former India captain and erstwhile BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly, Saha returned to Bengal this season - in a clear indication that it could be his last.
Saha had earlier made it clear that he will only focus on red-ball cricket for Bengal and not feature in white-ball tournaments. So far, the homecoming hasn’t been memorable, with zero runs and three catches in two games.
Saha has been out of national reckoning since December 2021 and back in 2022, during the tour of South Africa, he was informed by the then India head coach Rahul Dravid that the selectors and the team management were looking beyond him. However, he continued to play in the IPL and was part of Gujarat Titans when it won its maiden title in 2022.
Comments
SHARE