File photo of Wriddhiman Saha.
At 36, expectedly there's not much cricket left in India's wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha, who now will have to come up with something remarkable in order to earn his place back in the starting XI after Rishabh Pant heroics in the recently-concluded Australia series.
Saha, who had multiple injury lay-offs, did play the first Test in Adelaide but following India's infamous batting collapse the 'keeper lost his place to Pant and never had a look back in since then. He did get to be the sub keeper briefly when Pant struggled with injury and that's what now appears to be the future of Saha, a deputy to Pant.
Speaking after his return from Australia, the keeper admitted that Pant is a better batsman than him while his glovework is better than the southpaw while adding that it's up to the team management whom to pick between the two.
"It is the truth and you can’t deny it. Right from childhood, I have treated myself as a keeper first and then a batsman. Can’t really say what is Rishabh’s opinion on this. But when he takes his stance in the middle and bats the way he does, it exerts a different level of confidence. He gets success playing that way. Now once again, it boils down to the team management whether they want to play an extra batsman or a specialist keeper," Pant told Hindustan Times.
He is always cool, there is no anger in him. He never lets the emotions get the better of him. I’m sure he too gets excited at times but it doesn’t show on his face. He believes in all the players, pushes all of us to play our natural game. For example, he will never stop Rishabh from playing his shots. Obviously, if the game situation demands something different then he will pass on his inputs but in general, he lets the player play his natural game.
