Saha: A wicketkeeper in the classical mould

Bengaluru: Wriddhiman Saha found it difficult to digest when then head coach Rahul Dravid told him that the Indian team was looking at a younger wicketkeeper-batter. Any cricketer worth his salt would have. That was in 2021 when he was injured during the home Test series against New Zealand. Almost three years down the line, the Bengal cricketer doesn't nurse any bitterness. He seems to have made peace with the reality.

"Maybe, it was the team management's decision (to move on). But, my choice was that (if) the Indian team's (door) is shut, there are other domestic and IPL games. 'So, I can play.' So, it is not like I got demoralised and made a decision to quit. After that, I have been playing for 3-4 years."

If Saha had his way, he would have been done with his playing career last year itself when he was representing Tripura.

"I wasn't going to play this year to be honest," says the 40-year-old who is back with the Bengal state side and will retire after this Ranji Trophy season. "Sourav Ganguly and my wife pushed me to play for Bengal this year but due to my body condition and injuries, I won't be able to play the full season (including the white-ball tournaments). So I chose the most vital format. It will be tough, but I will play if we qualify (for the knockouts)... That will be the end of the season for me."

Saha was considered one of the best wicketkeepers in the world during his time and was an exception to the modern-day cricket rule wherein keeping skills can be compromised but not batting abilities.

"Generally, what I have done in my time and what I have seen with the current keepers, maybe the focus is a little less about keeping drills now. I think they give more time to hone their batting skills than keeping. When I started playing cricket, I was a wicketkeeper. I knew I wouldn't be a good batsman, because Sachin Tendulkar was already there. There was Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, (VVS) Laxman, (Virender) Sehwag, (Gautam) Gambhir... It was not easy to beat them. I knew I can never become like them. So I thought why not work more on wicket-keeping and make the break. That's why I put more emphasis on keeping," he offered.

Saha represented India in 40 Tests, claiming 92 catches and effecting 12 stumpings. In isolation, 40 Tests is a decent international career but he could have played more had his career not overlapped with MS Dhoni. Saha was well prepared to tackle this question just like he would anticipate a difficult catch behind the wickets.

"There are a lot of cricketers... Like Amol Mazumdar, who didn't get a chance (to play for India) even after doing so well. There are a lot of examples like that. (Padmakar) Shivalkar Sir didn't get a chance either. I feel fortunate and proud that I have played 40 Tests. I played on and off. I had injuries. But I am happy I represented India for 17 years. I played in the IPL, played for Bengal for so long. It was a good experience."

The right-hander was a decent bat, having accrued 1353 runs at nearly 30 runs per innings with three hundreds and six half-centuries.

How does he look back at his overall career?

"I could have done better for myself, but I always thought about the team first," he begins. "If I had played a little cautiously, which shouldn't happen, then the stats would have been better, my average could have been 35 or so. I would have felt better perhaps."

Perhaps. But Saha should feel better that he will be remembered as last of the wicketkeepers in the classical mould.