IPL 2022, GT vs SRH: Wriddhiman Saha hit a 38-ball 68 for Gujarat Titans against Sunrisers Hyderabad months after being dropped from the India Test side. This was his first fifty for new IPL side GT.
Widdhiman Saha of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Courtesy: PTI
HIGHLIGHTS
- Wriddhiman Saha hit his maiden IPL fifty for Gujarat Titans
- This was Widdhiman Saha’s ninth fifty in the Indian Premier League
- Saha was dropped from the India Test side in February
Wriddhiman Saha hit his ninth IPL half-century and first for Gujarat Titans during an attritional match against his old team Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Wriddhiman Saha scored 68 off 38 balls and his innings was studded with 11 fours and one six before he was bowled by a super express delivery from Umran Malik. Saha had scored his only hundred in the IPL back in 2014 for Punjab Kings and for a while it did look like he could get to his second hundred before he lost his wicket.
Saha storms back
Wriddhiman Saha was dropped from the Test side for India’s home series against Sri Lanka despite scoring a gutsy half-century against New Zealand when Rishabh Pant was rested. Saha had said he was shocked because he was assured of a Test spot by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.
However, Saha said India coach Rahul Dravid had suggested retirement as the team was now looking forward to younger wicketkeepers.
After a string of sensational revelations, Wriddhiman Saha came out for Gujarat Titans and played one of his best IPL innings ever.
Wriddhiman Saha had played for SRH till 2021 but was roped in by newbies Gujarat Titans for Rs 1.9 crore in the 2022 player auction. Besides GT and SRH, Saha has also represented two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings in the IPL.
After being dropped from the Indian team, Saha said he was started by the different approaches of the board president and India coach.
“The team management told me that I would not be considered henceforth. I could not tell this so long as I was part of the India team setup,” an upset Saha had told the media in February. “Even coach Rahul Dravid suggested that I think about taking retirement,” he spilled the beans on classified conversations with the head coach.
Wriddhiman Saha had said Ganguly texted him after his brave knock in Kanpur against New Zealand and promised to persist with him.
“When I hit an unbeaten 61 taking a pain-killer in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur last November, Dadi (as Sourav was referred to by Bengal players) congratulated me over Whatsapp.
“He even mentioned that I should not worry about anything so long as he is at the helm of the BCCI. Such a message from the board president really boosted my confidence. But I failed to understand why everything changed so fast,” he said.
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