India’s test specialist wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has been in and out of the national side for over a year now on fitness grounds. But he is hopeful of making a comeback in the domestic T20 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season.
In a telephonic interview to The Sunday Guardian, he confirmed his participation in the upcoming tournaments, saying he is close to being fully fit. “If I feel good then I can definitely play India A matches but before that we have domestic T20 and then the IPL. I am confident to participate in the IPL this time,” Saha said.
“I think I am 98, 99 per cent fit. I think nobody is 100 per cent fit when it comes to competitive sport. There are always minor injuries like finger injury, foot injury. One can say that I am in the right place at the moment. It is just a matter of few days now,” he said.
The 34-year-old sustained a hamstring injury during India’s tour to South Africa. Later he suffered a thumb injury during the IPL last year before injuring his shoulder. But he says he doesn’t get bogged down by such events and is willing to go out in the field and play.
“Injuries happen and it’s not something in our hands. It’s part and parcel in sports. There are people who don’t often get injured while there are others who sustain injury time to time. It’s not something I can control, and I don’t ponder over what has already happened and try to make best of what still remains,” he said.
On being asked if he is eyeing a return to the national team and whether it worries him that the selectors are reposing their faith in Rishabh Pant in a scenario where Pant has age on his side and the management might be looking into the future, he said, “It’s entirely up to the selectors who they think are the best resource available for the team. Personally, I don’t think age is something that worries me. If you are able to play with the intensity that a 20-year-old is unable to give, it definitely counts. For me the only thing that matters is the performance and then the rest of it is in the hands of the selectors. You see M.S. Dhoni and you realise nobody in the team can run between the wickets like he does.”
Cricket pundits have often pointed out that Indian Test team should focus on a specialist wicket-keeper rather than going for someone who bats well. When asked, he said it’s a call of the team management and selectors if they want a better batter or a wicket-keeper. “The onus is on them. If they want a player to play, he will play…if they want someone out, he won’t play,” Saha signed off.