India’s ace wicket-keeper batter Wriddhiman Saha, who has been dropped from the Test squad, shared a screenshot on Saturday showing disturbing and rude messages from a journalist forcing him to give an interview.
“After all of my contributions to Indian cricket..this is what I face from a so called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone,” Saha tweeted.
Earlier on Saturday, when the Chief Selector Chetan Sharma held a press conference to announce the squad for the upcoming Sri Lanka series, Saha was left out along with the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma.
The selector was tight-lipped about the reason for their exclusions but said the players should play Ranji Trophy.
"I can't tell you on what grounds he has been dropped. That is for the selectors only. All I can tell you is that he was told before and was asked to play the Ranji trophy, which is the ladder for playing international cricket. What we discussed between ourselves (committee members); we can't tell you that," Chetan Sharma said.
Messages From Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid
While the tweeted screenshot set the cat among the pigeons, Saha has also spoken about the boost in confidence he had received on being praised by BCCI President Sourav Ganguly after the fighting knock against New Zealand in Kanpur in November.
"After scoring 61 against New Zealand at Kanpur, Dadi (Ganguly) congratulated me over WhatsApp and mentioned, 'As long as I'm here (helming the BCCI), you would be in the team'. Such a message from the BCCI president really boosted my confidence. What I'm struggling to understand is that how things have changed so fast," Saha told The Sunday Express after the India squad for the home series against Sri Lanka was announced.
However, the veteran also revealed that the Indian team management had made it clear that they would be looking at younger players as a back-up for Rishabh Pant.
“Rahul bhai called me soon after the Test. I thought maybe he wanted to tell why he could not include me in the playing eleven and what’s the way forward. After the Test [in Kanpur] against New Zealand, Dadi (Sourav Ganguly) texted me congratulating me for my innings and boosted my confidence. So, when Rahul bhai called me, I thought maybe he wanted to talk to me about his plans,” Saha was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
“But as we started speaking, Rahul bhai said, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this, but for a while, a few selectors and the team management are thinking of trying a new keeper’. I asked him whether it is because of my age or fitness, but Rahul bhai told me that it is not just because of age or performance. They were looking at younger talents, and since you are not playing in the eleven, we thought of looking at other talents…” Saha said.
In the interview to Sportstar, Saha also said that Chetan Sharma, the chief selector, had spoken to him about being dropped.
“Chetan Sharma told me that they will not consider me for the Sri Lanka series. I asked him whether it is just for the Sri Lanka series, or is it also beyond that? He took a pause and then said, from now on, you will not be considered,” Saha claimed.
The ace keeper will turn out in the IPL this season for the new franchise Gujarat Titans, who will be led by Hardik Pandya.
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