Wriddhiman to skip two Ranji matches on Kumble’s advice

Wriddhiman Saha, who will be 32 in less than a fortnight, had kept wickets for more than 452 overs during the three-match Test matches series against New Zealand and coach Anil Kumble has advised the wicketkeeper-batsman to take complete rest for two weeks.

Wriddhiman Saha will return to national duty when India hosts England in the five-match series starting next month.

India’s chief coach Anil Kumble has advised Test specialist Wriddhiman Saha to take complete rest for two weeks which will mean that the wicket-keeper batsman will be missing Bengal’s first two Ranji Trophy games against Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Wriddhiman, who will be 32 in less than a fortnight, had kept wickets for more than 452 overs during the three-match Test matches series against New Zealand. Add to it two knocks of 50 plus in pressure situation at the Eden Gardens to win the Man of the Match award.

Wriddhiman will return to national duty when India hosts England in the five-match series starting next month.

“I have been informed that chief coach Anil Kumble has advised Wriddhiman to take rest after three back-to-back Test matches. He is not expected to play in the first two Ranji Trophy games for Bengal. He has had a lot of workload and with the England Test matches coming up, it is only fair that he gets adequate rest,” Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary told PTI from Jaipur, where the team would be playing Uttar Pradesh from tomorrow.

It is expected that Wriddhiman will also not play the next Ranji game against Punjab from October 20-23 but is expected to play against Railways from October 27-30. That game will act as a good match practice ahead of England series.

One of the fittest members of the Indian side, Wriddhiman is someone who believes in being in the thick of things.

In Bengal cricketing circles, he is someone who is known to tell his club team Mohun Bagan’s officials to book his early morning flight tickets so that he can reach in time for a crucial club tournament encounter after playing a Test match for India.

However even the Bengal team understands that Wriddhiman has finally settled in the Indian Test line-up and it will have to learn to live without him, especially this season as India will be playing 10 more Test matches at home.