Senior wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has opted out of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy 2022 edition. Saha has decided to withdraw himself from Bengal’s Ranji Trophy squad after he will not be picked for India’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting in Mohali on March 4.
The inclusion of senior wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha not picked for the Sri Lanka Test as Rishabh Pant has been considered as a future leader of the team. Also, KS Bharat displayed great glove work in the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, that’s why the wicket-keeper batsman not considered as a new backup option alongside Pant in India’s upcoming red-ball matches.
“Wriddhiman has been categorically told by influential people in the team management that they want to move on and create some new back-ups alongside Rishabh Pant,” a senior BCCI source said
“He was explained that he won’t be picked for the Sri Lanka Tests as it’s time that Kona gets his share of exposure with the senior team. May be that’s the reason, Wriddhiman had informed Cricket Association of Bengal president Abhishek Dalmiya and joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly that he would not play Ranji Trophy this season for ‘personal reasons. That’s why the selectors didn’t pick him as he was unavailable for selection,” the source added.
Saha has played 40 Tests and scored 1353 runs with three hundreds and an average of less than 30 which became his undoing. He however had 104 dismissals behind stumps, 92 catches and 12 stumpings.