In a major development, senior wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has been ruled out of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy campaign after being explicitly told that he should not feature for India’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting in Mohali from March 4. will be selected. The new team management has conveyed to the national selectors that 37-year-old Saha, widely regarded as one of the world’s premier gloves, is not for the foreseeable future. Rishabh Pant has already been made the favorite keeper for the next few years and Kona India performed brilliantly in the Kanpur Test against New Zealand.
A senior BCCI source privy to the developments said on the condition of anonymity, “Influential people in the team management have clearly told Wriddhiman that they want to move on and make some fresh backup with Rishabh Pant. .
“It was explained to him that he would not be picked for the Sri Lanka Test as it is time for Kona to get his share of experience with the senior team,” Wriddhiman informed Cricket Association of Bengal president Abhishek Dalmiya and joint secretary. did. Snehasish Ganguly said that he will not play Ranji Trophy this season due to ‘personal reasons’.
“That’s why the selectors didn’t pick him as he was not available for selection,” the source said.
The Bengal selection committee headed by Subhamoy Das selected a 22-man squad for the group league stage that day, consisting of two wicket-keeper batsmen, Abhishek Porel and Shakir Habib Gandhi.
“During the meeting, chairman of selectors Shubmoy had asked secretary and senior selection committee convener Snehasish Ganguly about Riddhi’s availability. He said that Riddhi has informed that he was not considered for Bengal for Ranji Trophy for the season. Must go. It was a bit strange,” said a source close to the Bengal team management.
It is learned that Saha, who is not a part of India’s white-ball set up, did not feature in a single session of Bengal’s pre-season Ranji Trophy camp.
“It is understandable that if he is not going to play for India in Tests now, why would he have the motivation to play Ranji Trophy after playing 40 Tests.
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“He may be feeling weak, but at the age of 37-and-a-half, it is natural that the team management would not want him as Pant’s understanding,” he added.
Saha has played 40 Tests and scored 1353 runs with three centuries and an average of less than 30 which became his undoing. However, he had 104 dismissals, 92 catches and 12 stumpings behind the stumps.
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