India’s Test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has opted out of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy squad for the upcoming season. It has been learned that Wriddhiman Saha was told that he will not be picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to kickstart from March 4.
Though it couldn’t be verified whether the Indian selectors or team management had a word with Saha about his future and whether that prompted him to take this big step.
For the unversed, with Rishabh Pant firmly in place as the first choice keeper-batter of the team, Wriddhiman Saha had become the backup option in the longest format of the game. Recently, KS Bharat also exhibited some excellent glove-work when he came out as a substitute during India’s home Test series against New Zealand in November-December 2021. Considering all this and his age factor, it seemed like the new team management wants to move on.
Meanwhile, a senior BCCI source privy to developments was quoted as saying by Times Now – “Wriddhiman has been categorically told by influential people in the team management that they want to move on and create some new back-ups alongside Rishabh Pant. He was explained that he won’t be picked for the Sri Lanka Tests as it’s time that Kona gets his share of exposure with the senior team,”
The source added: “May be that’s the reason, Wriddhiman had informed Cricket Association of Bengal president Abhishek Dalmiya and joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly that he would not play Ranji Trophy this season for ‘personal reasons’. That’s why the selectors didn’t pick him as he was unavailable for selection,”
Meanwhile, a 22-member squad including two wicketkeeper batters Abhishek Porel and Shakir Habib Gandhi was announced for the group league phase by the Bengal selection committee.
