His skipper, Virat Kohli, says he is THE BEST RIGHT NOW; Wriddhiman Saha — the India Test wicketkeeper — shares insights into his life.
Spring, a crazy ball, a superman in whites, a player straight out of Cricket 2007 — the Electronic Arts designed popular PC game back in the day; you run out of brushes to colour the phenomenon Wriddhiman Saha is. The India wicket keeper, in the longer format, times his jumps so abruptly that it seems somebody controls him via a keyboard.
The word ‘wait’ dominated his career. When he was ready for Bengal, it had Deep Dasgupta. Being a contemporary of Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept him out of India contention for many years. He didn’t mind filling in when Captain Cool nursed an injury or took breaks. But Saha has been the regular ’keeper since Dhoni’s retirement (from Tests) in 2014. His attendance in club games and commitment to his state team — when India plays limited over games — confirms his diligence.
While Virat Kohli and army prepared for the second ODI against New Zealand in Pune, Saha quietly celebrated his 33rd birthday (on October 24) with his family; exactly a week after Bengal had thumped Chhattisgarh by an innings and 160 runs. “Happy Birthday, Wriddhiman. When can I have a short chat with you ? Do I call around 11 a.m. (considering it was the day after his birthday),” this reporter sent him a message on WhatsApp. “Thank you, shokale katha boli around 8:15 a.m? (let’s talk in the morning),” he replied. A dedicated athlete hardly sleeps.
Excerpts from the interview:
Question: How did you spend your birthday?
Answer: It was like any other normal day. But I got to spend time with friends and family as there was no Ranji Trophy match this week.
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