Senior wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha has refused to play for Bengal in the upcoming Ranji Trophy knockouts, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has informed via a statement.
The relations between 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batter and the Cricket Association of Bengal have gotten worse. In February when a statement from Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Debabrata Das, accused Saha of giving all sorts of excuses to skip Ranji matches.
“Tell me, why should Wriddhi [Saha] not play in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal?”. “He is not in the Indian team, why should he not play for Bengal? Then we have to assume that he feels no responsibility towards Bengal. In the past, too, there have been many occasions when he has refused to play for Bengal. When we have spoken to him, he has given all sorts of excuses and skipped games. Sometimes it’s body ache, sometimes he has a pain in his leg.”
Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary Debabrata Das said in February.
Wicket-keeper batsman did not like this statement of the CAB official and expressed his displeasure over it. Saha revealed that due to the illness of a family member, he had decided not to play in the league stage.
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According to the reports, Saha has also left the WhatsApp group of the Bengal cricket team. In such a situation, a member of the Bengal team’s coaching staff said, “I will not comment on Saha’s decision as to why he decided to withdraw from the team. But, now the picture is clear. Now we can prepare our strategy accordingly.”
Saha sought NOC from Bengal
The issues between Saha and CAB are not resolving. Sources said that before leaving for the IPL, Saha had wished to discuss certain issues with the CAB but no effort was made to contact him. Bengal cricket board might offer the player a No Objection Certificate so he can pursue his domestic career elsewhere.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who has played 122 first-class matches, has already requested for inter-state NoC from the state association.
“What to do? If he is that stubborn, we have to give him. But nobody should try to arm-twist the state association, as it is bigger than any individual,”
a top CAB official said.
Saha has not been selected in the Indian team for the only Test to be held in England in July. However, he is playing well for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022. He has scored 312 runs in 10 matches.
