A neck strain kept Wriddhiman Saha off the field on Saturday while KS Bharat came in his place. But on the fourth day of the Kanpur Test, the Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman came out to bat and played a brilliant innings, that too when the team wanted him to bowl with a bat in his hand.
Saha hits a sixth Test fifty after a gap of more than 4 years. Back in 2017, he scored a 165-ball 67 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Since then, his highest score was 29 (vs SL in Kolkata, 2017) until he scored an unbeaten 61 against New Zealand at Kanpur in the second innings.
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The wicketkeeper-batsman came to bat at no. 8 when the hosts were making 103 for 6 wickets. He took his time to establish himself at the crease and after finding the rhythm, he put on a 64 run partnership with Shreyas Iyer, who became the first Indian batsman to score a century and a half-century. On test debut.
After Iyer’s dismissal, he forged another 50-over partnership with Axar Patel (28*), before stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane declared his second innings of 234 for 7, helping the Kiwis to 284. Run target.
Saha’s compassion and patience left fans showering praises on social media. Here’s how Twitter reacted to the knockout of their fight:
Change your stance fought the pain. The flexibility that defines Saha-Khiladi is on full display. #IndvNZ— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 28, 2021
Well played, Saha – It’s been a tough time for them in the last few years and when Pant was rested, he took an unbeaten 61 with both hands. India Was under a lot of pressure. pic.twitter.com/JAL8a0V10W– Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 28, 2021
Saha has his sixth fifty in a fighting fifty.
– 213/7 (77.4), lead by 262 runs#INDvNZ
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) November 28, 2021
Wriddhiman Saha hit a half-century in 115 balls. Brilliant knock from Saha, this is his first half century in 4 years and he has played a great role under pressure.- mufaddal vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 28, 2021
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Till stumps on Day 4, New Zealand were at 4 for 1. Ravichandran Ashwin provided an early breakthrough as he dismissed Kiwi opener Will Young for 2. The visitors would need 280 runs to beat India on the final day of the fifth Test.
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