Hyderabad: Former India wicket-keeper batter Wridhhiman Saha will hang up his boots from all formats of cricket after the conclusion of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season.
Saha, renowned for his prowess behind the stumps and crucial knocks for India, on Sunday, took to his X handle and said that he would retire from all forms of cricket. He expressed his gratitude for a "cherished journey in cricket" and his commitment to making this final season for his state team Bengal memorable.
After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I’m honored to represent Bengal one final time, playing only in the Ranji Trophy before I retire. Let’s make this season one to remember! pic.twitter.com/sGElgZuqfP
— Wriddhiman Saha (@Wriddhipops) November 3, 2024
The 40-year-old has had a decent Test career, playing 40 Tests for India and scoring 1,353 runs, including three centuries. Saha, who was considered the best wicket-keeper by the experts, became India's first-choice keeper-batter after former skipper MS Dhoni retired from the longest format of the game.
The right-hand batter holds the record for third most hundreds as a designated wicket-keeper batter for India after Dhoni and Rishabh Pant. He has three centuries under his belt while Dhoni and Pant have hit equal numbers of hundreds - 6.
However, his last appearance in international cricket was in 2021 against New Zealand. Before India's tour to England, despite some resilient performances, Saha was sidelined when the new management under head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma told that they are now looking at the future and want to groom someone like KS Bharat as a backup to Pant.
Reflecting on his journey, Saha shared on X (formerly Twitter): "After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I am honoured to represent Bengal one final time, playing only 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 rememberâ€æ," he wrote, as fans and teammates rallied around him to support him through his farewell tournament.
While Saha is set to play the entire Ranji Trophy season for Bengal, won't be seen in next year's IPL. He was not retained by Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. It is also learnt that Saha also hasn't registered for the mega auction which is expected to be held in November last week or December first week, a clear indication of his retirement from franchise cricket.
A veteran of the Indian Premier League, Saha has played every season since its inception in 2008, representing Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and most recently, Gujarat Titans. He also had a century in the IPL final in 2014 while playing for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
