Wriddhiman Saha

Profile

Just as a reserve goalkeeper in any sport has to await his chance till the established one gives way, the scenario has become the same for modern day wicketkeepers. Drafted into the Bengal side after regular glove-man Deep Dasgupta opted for the rebel league, Wriddhiman Saha’s century on his Ranji debut was instrumental in propelling him to the IPL stage where the Kolkata signed him in 2008. Despite having McCullum and Taibu as specialist keepers in the team, the former’s reluctance to don the keeping gloves and the four foreigner rule resulted in him playing a major chunk of the tournament and he displayed his batting talents with a half century. He was later bought by the Chennai in 2011.

A few fine performances for India A later helped Saha earn his maiden Test call-up in early 2010 as the team’s reserve wicket keeper with his chances of debuting next to impossible. However India’s bizarre decision to go into the series with just seven specialist batsmen backfired as Laxman and Rohit Sharma injured themselves before the game and with little time left, Saha was quickly drafted in as a specialist batsman. The nerves showed as he got out on a duck in the first innings but was more watchful in his second scoring 36. Dropped thereafter, he returned to the ODI version in late 2010, debuting against New Zealand after MS Dhoni was rested for the series. In 2011, he earned a surprise call-up to India’s ODI squad for the series in the West Indies, in the absence of most of the senior players.

Fast Facts

• Wriddhiman Saha was involved in a 417 run stand which, at its time, was the highest partnership for the sixth wicket in Ranji Trophy and the third highest in Indian first-class cricket.

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Career

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