India wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha fired shots at the team management, including the head coach Rahul Dravid, saying that he was suggested to consider retirement.
As the Chairman of Selectors Chetan Sharma announced the squad for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, the Test team did not include many prominent names such as Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha. Sharma did not disclose the reason behind Saha’s axing when he was about it on Saturday.
“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,” Sharma told the reporters.
Following the chief selector’s statement, Saha opened up on his sacking and mentioned that the team management is unlikely to consider him for selection henceforth. The 37-year-old further added that Rahul Dravid has advised him to take retirement.
“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,” Saha said as quoted to Times of India.
Saha then narrated an anecdote during the time he scored a match-saving 61-run knock against New Zealand.
“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. Such a message from the board President really boosted my confidence. But I failed to understand why everything changed so fast,” Saha stated.
Notably, the wicketkeeper opted out of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy squad for the ongoing season, citing personal reasons.
