Wriddhiman Saha looks to wipe the slate clean with Bengal – ‘I forgot about the past’

Speaking to the media at the Eden Gardens, Saha made it clear that he did not want to dwell on the past at all, and was instead focused on serving Bengal cricket for the rest of his career. Saha, 39, said he was looking forward to playing on the field as a Bengal cricketer but is also open to taking up a coaching position in the future.

“I don’t think about the past or the future, but I just live in the moment. And on that note, right now, all I can think about is playing for Bengal. I’ve forgotten everything that happened in the past,” he said. “But I am open to helping Bengal in any way I can. Being a cricketer, I would be better off helping Bengal in coaching rather than in any managerial role.”

At that time, Saha wanted to apologise, and even though the CAB chose him for the next matches, he did not back down from getting an NOC (No Objection Certificate) that would have taken him as a player consultant for Tripura.

The incident happened at the same time Saha, who was 37 years old, was told by the management of the Indian team led by Rahul Dravid that he will not be considered for the future Test squad following India’s return from the tour of South Africa in January 2022.

“I’m not looking at retirement yet,” said Saha, wearing a “Never Give Up” cap when asked about his prospects of working in the media or participating in various T20 tournaments. “When I retire I will leave all forms and all types of cricket, but right now I am focused on red ball cricket, white ball cricket, IPL, and I am available for everything. I will be carrying out my career with one eye at my age, but I still have the passion to play cricket and see Bengal do well.”

However, Saha’s presence in Bengal now leaves the team with two top-quality wicketkeepers in their ranks with Abishek Porel and only one place in the XI for either player. On finding a balance between grooming a young wicketkeeper like Porel and using his experience to help Bengal, Saha said he will wholeheartedly support Porel’s growth and ensure he does not fall by the wayside just to welcome the big leaguer.

“Even before I left Bengal, I was grooming Abishek in the side, and that will continue,” Saha said. “I have been watching his growth since his youth, and I have been talking to him. I am sure that the management will again aim to give Abishek every opportunity.”

Bengal have been knocking on the doors of the Ranji Trophy title for the past four years, reaching the final twice but losing both times to Saurashtra in 2019-20 and 2022-23. However, one of the concerns of Bengal cricket fans is the lack of Bengali cricketers in the team. Shah, however, felt that players should only be selected on merit.

“If you are selected in India, there is no measure to have these numbers of boys from North Zone or South Zone or East Zone or West Zone,” he said. “If you play well, you will get a chance, and that is what happened in Bengal. Even if some of our players are from outside Bengal and are not Bengalis, that does not make them inferior to the Bengal team. Shahbaz [Ahmed]Akash [Deep] again [Abhimanyu] Easwaran, I have seen them training here since their youth days. They didn’t just come here at night. They are a big part of the Bengal side [as others].

“I understand that some people may feel that the Bengal team should have more Bengalis, but I don’t see that as a sufficient reason as talent and hard work should be the main criteria. If you see it that way, you will say it again. Manoj Tiwary is not a Bengali, but that is not true, so -well I don’t see that being the case for Bengal cricket, especially if you are doing well, as we have seen the team in the last four to five years.

Last season, Bengal failed to get out of its group in Ranji Trophy, finishing third behind Mumbai and Andhra in Group B. In List A Vijay Hazare Trophy, Bengal was eliminated in the quarter-finals. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, they were eliminated in the quarter finals.