Wriddhiman Saha, the Indian wicket keeper is in the news. He was dropped from the Indian team for the Sri Lankan series. Saha is 37 years old with not much of cricket left in him. Rahul Dravid, the Indian coach and Chetan Sharma, the chief selector have asked him to retire. However, the mild mannered Saha, who has rarely spoken, did not find this amusing. Instead he has revealed what happened with him in South Africa and what the selectors told him. Let me offer my two cents in the Saha saga.
Conversation between Saha and Dravid
“Wriddhi, I don’t know how to say this, but for some time now the selectors and the team management have been wanting to look at a new face (as wicketkeeper). Because you are not our first-choice wicketkeeper, because you haven’t been playing for a while, we want to use this time to groom a younger wicketkeeper.” I said “okay, no issues”.
And he said, “Don’t be shocked if you are not selected for the Sri Lanka Tests. In the meantime, if you want to take some other decision, you can do that.” So I told him I was not thinking about retirement; not even close to doing so. I told him, “I started playing cricket because I liked playing it, and will continue till I like doing so. If you are not looking at me for the Indian team, that is your decision.”
Conversation between Chetan Sharma and Saha
Ten-twelve days later, I got a call from Chetan Sharma [chairman of selectors]. He asked me if I was playing Ranji Trophy. I said I hadn’t decided yet. Then he went on to tell me what Rahul bhai had said. So I asked him if this decision was for just this series or for the upcoming series against Australia and England too. Then he paused for a couple of seconds and said, “From now on, you will not be considered.”
Then I asked him why, is it because of my performance and fitness or is it because of my age? He said fitness and performance were not an issue. “We want to look at new faces and if we bring in a new face, we can’t drop him without playing him.” That’s why he said “from now on”.
Saha has been an excellent keeper
Saha has been an exceptional keeper. There was a time when he kept Pant out of the team whenever India plays at home just because of his keeping abilities. A few years ago, at Bangalore against Australia, he took a catch diving full length towards backward short leg to dismiss Wade. Anyone who had seen that catch, will forever remember that fondly. Bowlers, especially the spinners are lifted when they see that it is Saha behind the wicket. They are certain that whatever they bowl, Saha is there behind the stumps to collect the ball. The confidence that Saha gave the bowlers was immense.
However, it is hard to compete against a young and energetic Pant. Pant’s ability with the gloves is not as good as Saha but he more than makes it up with his flamboyant batting. Pant is the only Indian keeper who has scored centuries in England, Australia & South Africa. Leave alone Pant, not many keepers, with the honourable exception of Gilchrist, can lay claim to such a record. Ever since Pant played that brilliant and series winning 89 at The Gabba, he has been the de facto keeper. His keeping too improved perhaps because of his efforts with the bat. In such a scenario, it is hard to see Saha ever taking the place of Pant unless Pant is injured.
Saha is unlikely to improve
Saha is 37 and from hereon, his game is unlikely to improve. Hence, the selectors and Dravid have taken the correct decision of having a younger keeper to shadow Pant. If we think about it, it does make sense. Dravid must really be appreciated in such a situation of conveying this tough and delicate instruction to Saha directly. It takes a lot of courage to do so. Dravid could have taken a step back and he could have allowed the board and the selectors to convey the tough news to Saha but he did not do that. Instead, he informed Saha of his own because of the respect with which he treated Saha. It is not fair on the part of Saha to blame Dravid.
Dravid said. “I have a deep respect for Wriddhiman Saha and his achievements and contributions to Indian cricket. My conversation with him actually came from that place, from my respect for him. He deserved honesty and clarity. I didn’t want him to hear about it from the media.
“These are conversations I constantly have with players. I’m not hurt about it at all because I don’t expect players to always like all the messages or agree with everything I have to say about them. That’s not how it works. When you have difficult conversations with people – sometimes you have to have them with players – you don’t always expect them to agree with you or like you, but that doesn’t mean you brush it under the carpet and don’t have the conversations.”
Conclusion to the Saha saga
Ever since Pant established himself as the first choice keeper, Saha, with age not on his side, must have expected this day to arrive. He perhaps must have prepared himself better. Announcing retirement or otherwise is his choice. He can still play Ranji, in the IPL but his days as an international player was already numbered. I do feel sorry to see Saha dropped but that is how the world runs. There is no point in brooding over.
Dravid for his part did the right thing in inform the concerned player directly. It shows his honesty and the respect that he has not just for Saha but for every player. It is the hallmark of a coach to look the player in the eye and tell him the inevitable. Again I have to repeat, it takes a lot of courage to state the obvious.