India’s wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday (November). In a social media post, he declared that the ongoing Ranji Trophy season would be his last. Saha, who turned 40 last month, has represented India in 40 Tests and 9 ODIs. He was a key wicketkeeper-batter in red-ball cricket after MS Dhoni’s retirement and is ranked second among Indian keepers for the most centuries in Test cricket, trailing only Dhoni and Rishabh Pant.
Regarded as one of the best glovemen in the world, Saha scored 1,353 runs in Tests, including three centuries. His last Test appearance came three years ago in 2021 against New Zealand. Despite some crucial innings during that series, the new management, led by head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma, chose to phase him out in favor of KS Bharat as Rishabh Pant’s backup.
In his retirement announcement, Saha expressed gratitude for his journey, stating, “After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I am honoured to represent Bengal one final time in the Ranji Trophy before I retire. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible ride; your support has meant the world. Let’s make this season one to remember.”
According to a report by Sportstar, Saha is unlikely to participate in next year’s IPL as he has not registered for the upcoming mega auction later this month. Although he has not addressed this publicly, sources suggest an official statement may be released just before the auction. Saha was not retained by the Gujarat Titans, the franchise he played for over the last three years.
Saha is one of the few players to have participated in every IPL season since its inception in 2008, representing five franchises: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Gujarat Titans (GT).
Having made his First-Class debut in 2007, Saha played for Bengal for 15 years before moving to Tripura following a dispute with officials from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Former CAB chief Avishek Dalmiya attempted to persuade him to stay, but Saha indicated he might not continue playing for Bengal. His frustration stemmed from remarks made by a senior CAB official, who questioned his commitment after he opted out of the Ranji Trophy group stage for personal reasons. Despite efforts from coach Arun Lal to resolve the situation, Saha left the Bengal team’s WhatsApp group.
Last season, Saha took on a player-mentor role and guided Tripura to a respectable performance in domestic tournaments. After a conversation with Sourav Ganguly, a former India captain and ex-BCCI president, Saha returned to Bengal this season, hinting it might be his last. He had previously stated he would focus solely on red-ball cricket for Bengal and not participate in white-ball competitions. However, his return has been underwhelming, with zero runs and three catches in two matches.