Never got a proper chance when MS Dhoni was part of the team and later had to accommodate himself again as the second wicketkeeper choice after Rishabh Pant entered the scenes, veteran wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, surely missed out on playing opportunities. However, now, he has been dropped from the Indian Test team along with Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Chetan Sharma, the chairman of India's selection committee, had said that he had informed all four players dropped "immediately after the South Africa series" that they won't be considered "just for these two Tests". While Rahane and Pujara are under the scanner, Saha and Ishant no longer command a place in the first XI. However, Chetan said the selectors were not closing the door on any of them.
Chetan Sharma had stressed that the selection committee is of the view that the Test team will heavily rely on the players' performance in the Indian domestic circuit. However, earlier, it was reported by PTI that Wriddhiman had pulled out of Ranji Trophy after he was told that he won't be selected for the Indian team.
When Chetan Sharma was asked in the press conference the reason behind Saha's axing, he had said, "I can't tell you on what grounds he (Saha) has been dropped. It is for the selectors. All I can tell you is that he was told before."
But now the wicketkeeper-batter has shared his views on the whole saga and they surely don't match that given by the selectors. Saha has now revealed why he took the decission. He said that the team management headed by head coach Rahul Dravid had told him to think about "retirement".
Wriddhiman Saha told media persons on Saturday, "Yes, the team management told me that I would not be considered henceforth. I could not tell this so long as I was part of the India team setup.
"Even coach Rahul Dravid suggested that I think about taking retirement," Wriddhiman Saha further added.
"When I hit an unbeaten 61 taking a painkiller in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur last November, Dadi (as Sourav Ganguly was referred to by Bengal players) congratulated me over Whatsapp. He even mentioned that I should not worry about anything as long as he is at the helm of the BCCI. Such a message from the board President really boosted my confidence. But I failed to understand why everything changed so fast," Wriddhiman Saha vented.
