Veteran Indian and Bengal keeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha has revealed that his wife Romi Saha and Sourav Ganguly encouraged him to finish his career with the state. The right-handed batter also shared that he was planning to retire without playing this season.
Saha, who debuted for Bengal in April 2007, has been a dedicated player for the team ever since. While the 40-year-old hasn’t been a regular in their white-ball lineup, he has remained a key figure in red-ball cricket. The experienced cricketer has accumulated an impressive 7,013 first-class runs in 138 matches.
Speaking to reporters on November 6, the veteran cricketer shared his thoughts, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:
“You can say it was because of emotional attachment. I wasn’t going to play this year but Sourav Ganguly and my wife pushed me to play and finish with Bengal after two seasons with Tripura. I was already prepared that I won’t play this year. But when my wife and Sourav Ganguly pushed me, I couldn’t refuse.”
The right-handed batter has also represented India in 40 Tests and nine ODIs. A red-ball specialist, Saha played his final Test in 2021 against New Zealand, having debuted in 2007.
“Last year, I lost my passion for the game and decided to retire”- Wriddhiman Saha
The veteran cricketer stated that he wasn’t discouraged at all when the selectors opted to move on from him in Test cricket in 2021. He remained optimistic, knowing that domestic cricket and the IPL were still opportunities ahead. He mentioned:
“That door got closed, but I knew domestic, and IPL was still there. It wasn’t like I got demoralised because of that. I’ve played now for three-four years since that. Why did I start playing? Because I like it.”
”Last year, I’d stopped liking the game and planned to leave. After this season, I’m moving on. Hopefully we can make the final. If not, I’ll finish off at Eden Gardens.”
Bengal are currently placed in Elite Group C of the Ranji Trophy, with both of their matches ending in a draw.
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