SUPERMAN WRIDDHIMAN 

KAJAL CHATTERJEE

 

Wriddhiman Saha is set to leave the cricketing arena forever after completion of this Ranji season. 

 

Apart from his impeccable cricketing skills, this silent contributor will always be remembered as a TRAGIC HERO who had been cruelly denied his entitled due and ruthlessly relegated to oblivion when he was reigning as the best of the world in his chosen trade ie wicketkeeping. 

 

Yes, just for his "sin" and "supreme failure" of coming up with a fighting innings of 61 not out to save India from an imminent defeat against New Zealand in Kanpur Test in November 2021, that too when he was struggling from the unbearable pain of stiff neck; the Indian team management had publicly conveyed on that very particular day that Saha wouldn't be considered in the team in future with "very very special" Rishabh Pant around! Since Pant was in "rest", the world's best Test wicketkeeper in contemporary times was allowed to play only 1 more Test in the last match of the series against Kiwis in Mumbai never to get another opportunity in playing eleven! What a "reward" indeed to that saviour of India who also merited to be the most eligible Captain of India following the voluntary resignation of Virat Kohli from the hot seat! 

 

 So even after a superlative performance by Saha in the 2023 version of IPL(both in front of the wicket and behind) and despite "very very special" Rishabh Pant not around; he had been ignored by the team management for the final of the World Test Championship against Australia! By preferring even a greenhorn like Ishan Kishan in such an important Test; yes, the BCCI mandarins, selectors, captain, coach and the team management had excellently "kept their words" by keeping out the best wicketkeeper of the world in current times! 

 

And such a conspiracy against Saha started right when Sourav Ganguly was reigning as the President of the BCCI. Often did he shamelessly bat for Pant and question the batting skills of Saha by challenging him to score a century, thereby transmitting indirect signal to the selectors to sack the gallant-hearted wicketkeeper!

 

The "contribution" of then Indian coach Rahul Dravid must also be highlighted in this context! After all, how can we forget the "unique" stance of this "upright" coach possessed of a "very honest" personality !

 

By his own admission in November 2021, Dravid holds "deep respect" for Saha and his achievements/ contribution for the team !

 

And exactly this is the reason why Dravid himself had admitted ("very very honestly", surely because of his "immense respect" towards the contribution of Wriddhiman Saha) that the former indeed clearly asked the latter to move on ie "YOUR SERVICE IS NOT REQUIRED IN THE NATIONAL TEAM ANY MORE"! That means in the "philosophy" of Dravid ; those who hardly contribute, fail regularly and demand "less respect" can be asked to "continue in the team" !

 

No wonder why the most consistent performer Saha got thrown out from the national team for ever in the era of Dravid(as coach) in the most barbaric brutal fashion possible with utmost failures getting promoted, retained and pampered shamelessly !

 

When certain "favourite" cricketers are given a long rope to attain success despite consistent failures on the ridiculous rubbish pretext of "Form Temporary Class Permanent", "Runs/Century just one innings away", "He created pressure during last match" (though didn't take any wicket) or "Stop criticising, runs will come"(what a regular rebuke to the media by the team management so as to protect the inconsistent overhyped superstars), "what can the batsman do if the edge goes directly to the hands of the fielder or he gets run out"; Saha gets promptly shown the door even after registering consistently excellent performance or saving India from a imminent defeat! Never in the history of Indian cricket have any cricketer got intimated publicly that he would not be considered in future for national selection! 

 

It is high time the utmost hypocrisy by the BCCI and Indian team management are required to be exposed and put in record so that the future generation can view what a naked display of bias and prejudice was registered against Wriddhiman Saha by consigning all norms of neutrality to oblivion! Will posterity succeed in placing the genius and contribution of the gallant-hearted epitome of perseverance Wriddhiman Saha in true light!