HYDERABAD: In a world filled with chirpy glovesmen, Wriddhiman Saha is an anomaly. He is never overtly emotional on the field. After having recovered from a debilitating right shoulder injury, the Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper made a comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in February, where he managed 306 runs in 11 matches. His return to the Indian team could get a shot in the arm if he has a successful IPL.
However, with his IPL team making it clear in the first match that Jonny Bairstow will be the preferred one behind the stumps, the road ahead seems bumpy for the Bengal player. In an exclusive chat, Saha sounded realistic.
Asked of his chances of getting into the Sunrisers XI this season, the 34-year-old said: “It depends on the combination required on a given day. If you are in outstanding form, then it’s a different case. But I did not play for about eight months. From what I can gather, if included as a batsman, I will batting in the top-four.”
Saha last played for India in the Cape Town test in January last year. He had a thumb fracture during the last IPL and then the shoulder injury, for which he needed surgery in Manchester last August.
“If I was not a wicketkeeper, I would have recovered earlier. When I started diving practice on foam mats, for three days my shoulder was stiff. I thought it would not be good for the team if I cannot reach out to grab a climbing delivery. That’s why I took more time. I tried my best to enjoy the time at NCA, with the trainers and physios,” said Saha, who spent about six months at the National Cricket Academy.
Rishabh Pant has established himself as the No 1 keeper in Tests, a position that was reserved for Saha ever since MS Dhoni quit the format in 2014.
“I am not disappointed that I am not a part of the Indian team. From childhood, I never got frustrated over these things. If I perform, and the selectors have trust in me, then everything will work out. When I got injured, Dinesh (Karthik) and Rishabh were tried. While Dinesh was not so lucky, Rishabh did well. In the current set-up, he is really good,” Saha opined.
Asked about his target these days, he retorted: “Never played with a target that is far ahead in the future. For now, it is IPL, and I will try to do my best when I get a chance. I don’t think achieving anything at this level is easy. Keep working hard without worrying about the outcome. That is the motto I follow. I do not get demoralised.”
At peace with Grade C contract
In the revision of central contracts offered by BCCI, Saha was relegated from Grade A to Grade C. “Since I had not played for so long, it was understandable that the contract will be changed,” he said. Contracts in Grades A+, A, B and C are worth D7 crore, D5 crore, D3 crore and D1 crore, respectively.