Wriddiman Saha retires

[Lord]

One of the most likeable and hard working cricketers. Perhaps born in wrong era

 

 

 

@Gollum

[Gollum]

One of my favorite cricketers of all time, and by all accounts a top guy, selfless, team man. Happy retired life Saha.

 

His twin 50s in 2016 Eden greentop against NZ (fetched him MOTM), my fondest memory of him. Integral part of our dominant home streak. Could watch him just for his otherworldly keeping skills.

Edited February 1, 2025 by Gollum

[Gollum]

Not celebrated enough in Bengal. Maybe because he is from Siliguri and CAB doesn't look beyond Kolkata.

 

Bengal is a poor cricket state, all the more reason to celebrate a rare success story like Saha, their best after Dada. Shami anyway is a UPwallah.

[BacktoCricaddict]

7 minutes ago, Gollum said:

his otherworldly keeping skills.

 

Spot on 100%. One of the best ever to don the keeping gloves. Highly under-rated talent who was tailor-made for test cricket, but also has had some great moments in the IPL. Nothing but respect for Wriddhi.

[Gollum]

I have more respect for less talented players (again definition of talent is subjective) who maximize their potential @Lord. I find those kinds of journeys/stories more inspiring. 

 

Saha, Jadeja, Pujara, Kumble, earlier Amarnath, Shastri. From overseas the likes of Cook, Siddle, Younis, Kallis, Chanderpaul, Katich, Bavuma, Neil Wagner etc. Sure these guys too are from different tiers, some even ATGs, but all of them punched above their weight and proved many people wrong.

Edited February 1, 2025 by Gollum

[BacktoCricaddict]

2 minutes ago, Gollum said:

I have more respect for less talented players (again definition of talent is subjective) who maximize their potential @Lord. I find those kinds of journeys/stories more inspiring. 

 

Saha, Jadeja, Pujara, Kumble, earlier Amarnath, Shastri. From overseas the likes of Cook, Siddle, Younis, Kallis, Chanderpaul, Katich, Bavuma, Neil Wagner etc. Sure these guys too are from different tiers, some even ATGs, but all of them punched above their weight and proved many people wrong.

 

Wriddhi has some superb athleticism. That, to me, is talent. Not a flashy batsman, so maybe perceived as being less talented.

[Gollum]

2 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

 

Spot on 100%. One of the best ever to don the keeping gloves. Highly under-rated talent who was tailor-made for test cricket, but also has had some great moments in the IPL. Nothing but respect for Wriddhi.

Best pure keeper I have followed tbh. Had he been from Aus/Eng, his keeping skills would have been marketed well, and stories/legends spun. Kids would have donned gloves just to emulate him.

 

Poetry in motion, and what athleticism/explosiveness/footwork to complement those glove skills.

[Gollum]

Used to get lots of flak/ridicule for being a Saha fan on ICF few years back, was a lone supporter/defender of him. @maniac garu will understand.

[Lord]

10 minutes ago, Gollum said:

I have more respect for less talented players (again definition of talent is subjective) who maximize their potential @Lord. I find those kinds of journeys/stories more inspiring. 

 

Saha, Jadeja, Pujara, Kumble, earlier Amarnath, Shastri. From overseas the likes of Cook, Siddle, Younis, Kallis, Chanderpaul, Katich, Bavuma, Neil Wagner etc. Sure these guys too are from different tiers, some even ATGs, but all of them punched above their weight and proved many people wrong.

 

Yep exactly, hardworking albeit less talented players who improve gradually show they have right attitude. I back the likes of Jadeja,Dravid,Kumble,S Waugh for that reason.

[Lord]

10 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

 

Wriddhi has some superb athleticism. That, to me, is talent. Not a flashy batsman, so maybe perceived as being less talented.

 

no that is pure hard work. Fielding/keeping can be improved by any one by hard work. Thats why I hate lousy fielders like Chahal

[Lord]

Pant is better than Saha, but Saha deserved to play lot more in Dhoni era, especially overseas.

[Gollum]

2015 Lanka tour till 2020-21 BGT was a great time to be an Indian test fan. For some, it may stretch back to 2014 Adelaide and till 2021 Eng tour (first 4 tests). Remember discussing with @sensible-indian about this once, as fans we both had similar journey I guess.

 

Personally enjoyed this stretch more than 2000s (despite watching more cricket back then, school days).

 

Since these guys will not come back, thank you to Ashwin, Saha, Pujara, Rahane, Vijay, Umesh, Ishant. Even Bhuvu ripped apart Kiwis in 2016 Eden, and did well in RSA in that period.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2025 by Gollum

[Gollum]

3 minutes ago, Lord said:

Pant is better than Saha, but Saha deserved to play lot more in Dhoni era, especially overseas.

Dhoni lost interest in tests by 2011-12. No idea why he dragged on. 

[Lord]

10 minutes ago, Gollum said:

2015 Lanka tour till 2020-21 BGT was a great time to be an Indian test fan. For some, it may stretch back to 2014 Adelaide and till 2021 Eng tour (first 4 tests).

 

Personally enjoyed this stretch more than 2000s.

 

Since these guys will not come back, thank you to Ashwin, Saha, Pujara, Rahane, Vijay, Umesh, Ishant. Even Bhuvu ripped apart Kiwis in 2016 Eden, and did well in RSA in that period.

 

 

 

2017 BGT was literally peak Test cricket

[Gollum]

Just now, Lord said:

 

2017 BGT was literally peak Test cricket

2017 BGT (8-9 ATGs/country greats across both sides in peak form)

2020-21 BGT

 

Doesn't get better, wins don't get more satisfying than these. 

[Gollum]

1 hour ago, Lord said:

 

Yep exactly, hardworking albeit less talented players who improve gradually show they have right attitude. I back the likes of Jadeja,Dravid,Kumble,S Waugh for that reason.

Steve Waugh is a great example. Also Courtney Walsh. As a kid, found these two guys mirror images, what Waugh did with the bat, Walsh did with the ball albeit for a much weaker team. 

[Number]

Took some out of the world catches and made some hard runs. 

Unsung hero of 17 BGT for me. Played a big role in saving Ranchi test.

Then in Bangalore test we were almost cooked with series on the line in 3rd innings when Pujara got out.But his resistance with tail made the target from "not enough" to defendable.

Then his catch of Wade in 4th innings sealing the game. Check at 10m30s 

https://youtu.be/J0W1gbp-wqA?si=o_qnC0cTY3LzcrPE&t=10m30s

 

A good example of 

"Zindagi badi honi chahiye... lambi nahi" 

People will remember players more for their crucial winning contributions than stats and records.

Edited February 1, 2025 by Number

[Ultimate_Game]

Never saw the hype about Saha. He held back Pant for couple of years. His batting was pathetic and he belonged to the wkt keepers we used to see in 90s. A good Ranji journeyman like KS Bharat but not meant for intl level.

[Chakdephatte]

2 hours ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Never saw the hype about Saha. He held back Pant for couple of years. His batting was pathetic and he belonged to the wkt keepers we used to see in 90s. A good Ranji journeyman like KS Bharat but not meant for intl level.

Sample space is too low to make any judgement. Just 56 innings as a batsman. Hardly played in SENA. In Australia, he averaged 15. Scored most runs in India and Carrebian. Hasn't even got a match in England or NewZealand. 

 

Dhoni with much better record is considered an average wk batsman. 

 

And I disagree that he held Pant for two years. He debuted before he turned 21 and played more tests than Saha before the latter's retirement. He didn't select himself anyway. 

 

 

[Gollum]

2 hours ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Never saw the hype about Saha. He held back Pant for couple of years. His batting was pathetic and he belonged to the wkt keepers we used to see in 90s. A good Ranji journeyman like KS Bharat but not meant for intl level.

Scored 3 100s, 2 of them clutch (WI 2016 and Ranchi BGT). Won us a test against NZ with the bat. More clutch knocks especially at home against RSA, Aus. 

 

Bharat is a nobody compared to Saha. 

 

Just his bad luck that he got sandwiched between Dhoni and Pant eras. Anyway as a pure keeper he was legendary.