Recognise the batsman in Wriddhiman Saha

[Magneto]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/duleep-trophy-2012/content/current/story/553204.html There is a perception that Wriddhiman Saha is an inferior batsman to some of the other wicketkeepers competing for national selection. It is time that perception changed Abhishek Purohit in Indore Wriddhiman Saha walked back a satisfied but tired man, having made 170 in more than six hours in East Zone's first innings. Before that, he had kept wicket safely and unobtrusively for Central Zone's first innings, which had lasted for barely four hours. The handful of spectators at the Holkar Stadium, who had implored Saha to raise his bat in their direction when he reached his century, called out to him again. Saha went to them and patiently signed autographs and posed for photographs with a few fans. There was something in his demeanour that led a veteran journalist to remark that in all his decades of covering cricket he had never seen a more humble player. Saha's humility does not seem to be put on. It is part of his nature. He is rated by many as the finest wicketkeeper in the country at the moment. He goes about his job with the look of an accountant passing journal entries. Without a needless show of emotion. He is known to be a batsman capable of fighting in adversity, a quality he displayed during the first innings of the recent Adelaide Test. He did it with the look of a man who knew he was in for a tough examination but was going to face it without fretting. Saha is not known - or at least he wasn't until today - to be an aggressive batsman with a range of strokes. He showed he was, with the look of a man who saw aggression as part of his job description for the day, and went to carry out his duties. With humility. Saha's batting looks as safe as his keeping. That he is technically sound was demonstrated in Australia. Today, he hammered 26 boundaries against a decent attack without a trace of ostentation. His drives were effective but not fierce. His pulls were powerful but not violent. His clips were executed with balance but without flourish. Even when he lofted the fast bowlers a couple of times just over mid-off, the strokes were not mis-timed. And all were safe. After stumps, Saha spoke about his innings. "The ball was moving around in the morning," he said. "We knew the first session would be crucial. We decided to target only the loose deliveries and keep out the good ones. "The wicket eased out after lunch, and we came out with a positive mindset to look for runs. Their spinners were not getting much help from the pitch." This 170 came after Saha made 124 in the semi-final against North Zone in Delhi the previous week. Both centuries were scored after East Zone had lost three wickets for not much in the first innings. Saha is an excellent keeper and a capable batsman, but he lacks glamour. There have been murmurs about his perceived inferior batting ability from the moment he was chosen as the reserve Test wicketkeeper to MS Dhoni. Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel, the others in contention, are flashier than Saha. The perception seems to be just that though, a perception. A look at the first-class batting averages reveals that Saha averages more than Karthik and Parthiv, and Dhoni as well. Saha said something today that revealed much about his merits as a batsman. "I go for my strokes only when I am well set, and depending on the match situation," he said. It is a trait the other three cannot be said to possess in the longest format, at least not in the same measure as Saha does. After consecutive Duleep Trophy hundreds, it is time for the perception to change, and for Saha to be given some respect for his batting ability.

[Ultimate_Game]

Yes yes we know the batsman in him... he's another coming of Parthiv "Pappu" Patel who is capable of scoring 30s. I would prefer Dinesh Karthik over him.

[prashsenga]

Respect :om: :adore: :rock: hopes he gets his chance soon.. NZ series i hope..dhoni needs rest in tests...

[Magneto]

Yes yes we know the batsman in him... he's another coming of Parthiv "Pappu" Patel who is capable of scoring 30s. I would prefer Dinesh Karthik over him.

Pity Karthik is not capable of scoring 30s, because of which all he averages is 27. And as a wicketkeeper,

[Ultimate_Game]

Pity Karthik is not capable of scoring 30s, because of which all he averages is 27. And as a wicketkeeper,

At least he looks capable of looking like getting runs. Strangely Karthik looked one of our better batsmen in SA and IIRC England. There's a match in SA I remember where he looked the best batsman in the side. The guy has lots of potential and simply needs to get his shot selection right. I would give Karthik a longer run in the side to establish himself as the guy is still quite young.

[Magneto]

At least he looks capable of looking like getting runs. Strangely Karthik looked one of our better batsmen in SA and IIRC England. There's a match in SA I remember where he looked the best batsman in the side. The guy has lots of potential and simply needs to get his shot selection right. I would give Karthik a longer run in the side to establish himself as the guy is still quite young.

Karthik has got enough opportunities and sadly has not been able to cash in. I agree he's played 5-6 knocks that were of high quality, but for someone who's played 23 Tests and 37 innings, it is not good enough. And hardly can you depend on him to stick around for a 100-run partnership with the last recognised batsman, when the team is in trouble. He scored very little in his first 10 Tests (only one fifty), had a good patch in the next 6 Tests, and then again scored nothing in the next 7 Tests (only one fifty). Karthik lacks temperament, and that's why he still doesn't average 40 in either FC or List A matches (Saha averages more than 40 in both formats). And the way he's been playing domestic cricket this year, I don't see a change unless he makes a big comeback. His keeping has also deteriorated, not that he was ever that good.

[Sooda]

Saha is a good finisher...bit injury prone though...two well taken goals vs toons on sat

[Magneto]

Saha is a good finisher...bit injury prone though...two well taken goals vs toons on sat

:mad: :offtopic: :mad: :mad:

[cowboysfan]

I am ready to dump Dhoni from tests who probably doesnt want to play them anyway.

[The Dark Horse]

^+1 TINA dies in tests for Dhoni

[zaqw222222]

Saha has been really good last one year or so

[Feed]

OZ tour helped me, says Duleep Trophy hero Saha More... OZ tour helped me, says Duleep Trophy hero Saha By: Sanjib Guha Date: 2012-02-15 Top two sides from East Zone -- Bengal and Orissa -- didn't fare well in the just concluded Ranji Trophy. With Bengal finishing fifth among seven teams in Group B, Orissa were left to languish at the bottom of Group A. But they combined together for East Zone and created history by winning their maiden Duleep Trophy title in Indore yesterday. Wriddhiman Saha Riding on Man-of-the-Match Wriddhiman Saha's 170, East Zone thrashed Central Zone in the final by an innings and 20 runs at the Holkar Stadium. Saha was over the moon, particularly for his heroics, in the crucial final. "It's really satisfying," Saha told MiD DAY. According to Saha, his stint with Team India for the four-Test series that preceded the ongoing triangular series helped him mature. "Sharing the dressing room with seniors have helped me develop. Also, after playing some top Indian bowlers in the nets and then facing the Aussies in a Test match have given me the confidence to perform on the domestic circuit," Saha added.