India wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday (November). In a social media post, Wriddhiman said the ongoing Ranji Trophy season would be his last. The stumper, who turned 40 last month, has represented India in 40 Tests and 9 ODIs. He was India’s first-choice keeper-batter in red-ball cricket for quite some time after MS Dhoni’s retirement. The right-hander sits in the second spot of keepers with the most centuries in Test cricket for India only behind Dhoni and Pant (joint first). Saha, regarded as one of the best glovemen in world cricket, scored 1353 Test runs with hit three centuries in his career.
Saha made his last Test appearance three years ago, in 2021, against New Zealand. Despite playing a few crucial knocks in the series, the then-new team management, which included head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma, decided to phase out Saha from the team, focusing on KS Bharat as Rishabh Pant’s backup.
“After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I am honoured to represent Bengal one final time, playing only in the Ranji Trophy before I retire,” Saha wrote on X, promising to make his last season for Bengal a memorable one. “Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible ride, your support has meant the world. Let’s make this season one to remember…”
Wriddhiman Saha says no to IPL
According to a Sportstar report, Saha is unlikely to participate in next year’s IPL as he hasn’t registered for the upcoming mega auction set to take place later this month. Although he has not publicly addressed the matter, sources suggest that an official statement regarding this could be released just before the auction. Saha was not retained by the Gujarat Titans, a franchise he represented for the last three years. Saha one of the very few players who has taken part in every season of IPL since its inception in 2008, having represented five franchises – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT).
Having made his First-Class debut in 2007, Saha represented Bengal for 15 years before transferring to Tripura after a dispute with certain officials from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). The former CAB chief, Avishek Dalmiya, attempted to persuade Saha to stay, but he indicated that he might not continue playing for Bengal.
His frustration stemmed from comments made by a senior CAB official, who questioned Saha’s commitment after he opted out of the group stage of the Ranji Trophy for personal reasons. Despite efforts from coach Arun Lal to discuss the situation, Saha even left the Bengal team’s WhatsApp group.
Last season, Saha, taking on the role of player-mentor, guided Tripura to a respectable performance in domestic tournaments. However, after a conversation with Sourav Ganguly, a former India captain and ex-BCCI president, Saha returned to Bengal this season, hinting that it might be his final one.
Saha had previously stated that he would concentrate solely on red-ball cricket for Bengal and would not participate in white-ball competitions. So far, his return hasn’t been notable, having scored zero runs and made three catches across two matches.