Wriddhiman Saha Controversy: Ex-Minister Bats For Bengal Keeper; Syed Kirmani Joins Forces Too

Wriddhiman Saha continues to make news.

Ever since the 37-year-old Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman was axed from the Indian Test team for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka on Sunday (Feb 20), Wriddhiman Saha has been making headlines not for the best of reasons. (More Cricket News)

Now Saha is the subject matter of two letters - one written by a former Bengal (CPM) minister and one by the Indian Cricketers' Association. 

Wriddhiman Saha's name started trending after he revealed to a section of the media a WhatsApp chat with Sourav Ganguly that had guaranteed him a place in the Indian Test team as long as 'Dada' remained BCCI president. This created quite a storm.

But what became a bigger talking point was Saha's expose of tweets exchanged between him and a 'journalist,' who threatened the cricketer for not giving him an exclusive interview.

Although Saha did not reveal the name of the 'journalist,' it was not difficult to guess who this person was even as BCCI promised to probe the matter.   

After a series of tweets from ex-players like Virender Sehwag and Ravi Shastri in support of Wriddhiman Saha, the Indian Cricketers' Association wrote a letter to the BCCI on Tuesday.

The ICA wanted the BCCI to "cancel the erring journalist’s accreditation and access to any BCCI event." 

“We acknowledge the fact that the media plays a very important role both in the growth of our game and the players but there’s always a line that must never be crossed.

"What has happened in Saha’s case is totally unacceptable and we call for the respective press organisations too to take up the matter and ensure such things are not repeated,” said ICA president and former Test batsman Ashok Malhotra.

Meanwhile, veteran CPM leader Ashok Bhattacharya and former mayor of North Bengal town of Siliguri wrote a letter to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to reconsider the decision on Saha.

In a letter to Ganguly, Bhattacharya wrote that “he was disappointed not to see Saha (also a resident of Siliguri) in India’s Test team for the two-match series against Sri Lanka.” “It pained me just like I felt bad when you (Ganguly) faced similar circumstances earlier,” Bhattacharya wrote.

Chances of Saha returning to India's Test squad looks bleak. Head coach Rahul Dravid has made it clear that India needed younger players and Saha did not fit in the scheme of things.

Not only Wriddhiman Saha, senior players like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma have been omitted from India's Test squad and looking at an uncertain future. This list could become longer in the coming days.

Kirmani Fuels Controversy

At a time when the cricket fraternity is talking about Saha and the rogue 'journalist', former India wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani said he too was treated unfairly during his playing days.

“We don’t know what the selection committee and the team management think about a player. I have also been a victim of injustice, but nobody talks about it,” Kirmani, member of India’s historic 1983 World Cup win, was quoted as saying in a website.

A former selector, Kirmani revealed that he was shown the door despite being in a ‘no competition’ zone.

“I was at the pinnacle of my career around that time. Yet, I was dropped from both the Test and ODI teams for no fault of mine. There was no competition around me. I played 88 Tests and was the saviour of India’s ODI team on many occasions,” added Kirmani.

Technically, Saha has been one of India's most skillful wicket-keepers but has been in and out of the Indian team in his 40-match Test career. It's just that his luck ran out as Dravid looks to groom a younger side and won't really care for what Ganguly 'promised' on a WhatsApp conversation.