Wriddhiman Saha opens up about his exit from Indian team
What's the story
Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha has opened up about his exit from the national team in 2022.
He emphasized that it wasn't an act of injustice but a decision made based on the team's requirements.
"I wouldn't call it injustice—that would be selfish," Saha told reporters. "Perhaps it wasn't just one person's decision."
Notably, the 40-year-old concluded his illustrious career with a final appearance at Eden Gardens during Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Punjab on Thursday.
Career conclusion
Saha's international career ended in 2021
Saha's international career pretty much ended in early 2022 when the Indian team management, under head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma, chose KS Bharat as Rishabh Pant's backup.
Notably, the decision was a major turning point in his career.
But Saha isn't bitter about it. "Maybe I wasn't capable enough or didn't deliver as expected, so they made their choice," he said.
Confidence intact
Saha remains confident in his abilities post-retirement
Despite stepping away from the international arena, Saha is confident of his abilities and believes he could still contribute to the Indian team.
"If I was in the team, I would have contributed with good catches or good innings," he said.
He also expressed satisfaction with his performance for Bengal, especially in slip fielding where he claims not to have missed a single catch.
Retirement contemplation
Saha contemplated retirement earlier
Saha officially announced his retirement in November last year, but he had thought of walking away from the game much earlier.
However, former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and his wife, Romi, pushed him to play another season.
"I had planned to retire last season itself. But only because of Dada (Sourav Ganguly) and my wife Romi, I pushed it to this season," he revealed.
Post-retirement plans
Saha looks forward to family time post-retirement
As he moves into retirement, Saha is excited to spend more time with his family. Something he has missed during his close to two decades of professional cricket.
"Finally, after 18 years, I don't need a warm-up anymore after this match. Now, I can spend more time with my family," he said on the eve of his last game for Bengal.
Numbers
A look at the former wicketkeeper batter's illustrious career
Saha, who played in 40 Tests retired with 1,353 runs at an average of 29.41.
Across 56 innings he smashed three tons and six fifties while boasting a high score of 117 (vs Australia).
Additionally, while keeping wickets he owns 104 dismissals (92 catches and 12 stumpings).
In ODIs, the wicketkeeper-batter has managed 41 runs in nine matches. He averaged 13.66 and owns a strike rate of 73.21.
Behind the stumps, he recorded 18 dismissals (17 catches, one stumping).