‘Wouldn’t Call It Injustice’: Wriddhiman Saha’s Honest Remark On his 2022 India Snub
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha on Thursday acknowledged that his axing from the national side under Rahul Dravid’s coaching tenure in 2022 was “not an injustice” but a decision based on team requirements.
The 40-year-old Saha kept wickets at the iconic Eden Gardens one last time in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy match against Punjab on Thursday. Despite being one of India’s finest glovemen, Saha’s international career effectively ended in 2021 when the new team management, led by head coach Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma, prioritised KS Bharat as Rishabh Pant’s backup.
His omission from the India squad for the home series against Sri Lanka in 2022 led to a rare outburst, as he shared dressing-room conversations with Dravid and then chief selector Chetan Sharma. “I wouldn’t call it injustice. That would be selfish. Maybe it wasn’t just one person’s decision. Maybe I wasn’t capable enough or didn’t deliver as expected, so they made their choice,” Saha told reporters here.
“If I had performed better, this wouldn’t have happened. I don’t dwell on it — I just take the positives from whatever comes my way.” On his fitness and contribution to the team, Saha, however, asserted that he still has the ability to play for India.
“If I was in the team, I would have contributed with good catches or good innings. I’ve tried my best for Bengal. In slip fielding, I haven’t missed a single catch. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it,” Saha, who played 40 Tests and nine ODIs for India, added.
Saha, who turned 40 last year in October, made the retirement decision public in a social media post in November. His decision to retire had been on his mind for a while, but he was persuaded to extend his career by Sourav Ganguly, and his wife Romi.
“I had planned to retire last season itself. But only because of Dadi (Sourav Ganguly) and my wife Romi, I pushed it to this season. Otherwise, I would have retired by now.”
Known for his calm demeanour, Saha described himself as someone who never sought attention. “I’ve always been like this. It’s my choice to be carefree. I don’t seek attention. I just want to remain the same humble player on the field. I’ve always been comfortable with that.”
Despite playing his final match, he remained emotionally detached from the occasion. “I’ve never been an emotional person, even as a child. There’s no special sentiment about playing my last match. I’ll go out with my friends like always.” After retirement, he will look forward to spending more time with his family.
“Finally, after 18 years, I don’t need a warm-up anymore after this match. Now, I can spend more time with my family.” Summing up his journey, he acknowledged that while not all his dreams had been fulfilled, he had no complaints.
“Some have been fulfilled, some haven’t. You can’t force every dream to come true. Many people already know about my retirement unofficially.” Saha said he has no regrets about his career, expressing gratitude to the game instead.
“I am here today because of cricket, which I’ve played my whole life. I have spent so much time with the team, 17 years in the IPL, so why should I regret anything? I’m grateful to everyone. It’s difficult to name each and every person.”
On his future plans, Saha remained open to coaching but said it depends on Bengal’s needs. “No news as of now. I’m always ready, but it depends on what Bengal thinks,” he said. Saha also highlighted some of his career-defining performances, including his double century in the Irani Trophy triumph and winning the IPL for Gujarat Titans in 2022. “Scoring a double century to win the Irani Trophy and the IPL final both are special. But you can’t compare the two. They are rated highly in their own way.”
On leadership, he maintained that he never needed the captaincy tag to contribute. “I don’t believe in the captaincy tag. Maybe even without being the captain, I have provided the same inputs. I’ve always done that.” Reflecting on the bowlers who were difficult to keep against, he named Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah among pacers, while he picked Ravichandran Ashwin and Rashid Khan among spinners.
Asked about his favourite coach, he was unequivocal in his praise for Anil Kumble. “Anil Kumble. We won a lot of matches and series under him. It felt really good.”
As a fitting tribute to Saha’s illustrious career, the Cricket Association of Bengal felicitated him at the Eden Gardens before the match. CAB President Snehasish Ganguly lauded Saha for his contributions, stating, “It has been a wonderful and inspiring career. To make his debut in 2007 and play this long is incredible. I congratulate him and wish him all the best.”
Saha was presented with a signed Bengal team jersey, a flower bouquet, and a shawl, marking the end of career of one of India’s most technically sound wicketkeepers after the Ranji match.
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