Saha, an unlikely success story

NEW DELHI: Wriddhiman Saha had shown signs of coming of age as an attacking batsmen during IPL-7. On Sunday, in the final against KKR, the Kings XI wicketkeeper-batsman put the icing on his season’s cake by playing a blinder (111) which sadly could not win it for Punjab. But his name now will not just be a footnote, living under the shadow of MS Dhoni. This knock has made sure that he commands respect and attention from the fraternity.
Kings XI has played a key role in this change of fortune. Months before this year’s auction, Saha had expressed his desire to move out of CSK which also has Dhoni which meant little chance of getting into the playing eleven. "You can’t do anything when you have a player of Dhoni’s stature ahead of you. I got a lot to learn at CSK but as a player I can’t deny I have been missing out on some good opportunities as well. If some other franchise gives a better deal and assures me more matches then I might be tempted to think about it," Saha had told TOI last November itself.
His wish was fulfilled and it was Sanjay Bangar who lapped him up for Punjab, thrusting the 29-year-old up in the bating order this season. "With CSK he didn't even get a chance to keep wickets in any match. As a coach I know that when he keeps wickets, he bats better. The move to KXIP has changed it and it's all about the stars as well. The age (29) that he has reached, he needed an innings like this which should be remembered by one and all," said his childhood coach Jayanto Bhowmick.
He has been one of Bengal’s most trusted soldiers over the last many years ever since got his first call-up for the state in 2007 and scored a hundred on first-class debut. But then, hailing from Siliguri in North of West Bengal, opportunities weren’t easy to come by. He did the hard yards, travelling all the way from the hills to Kolkata to pursue his trade in junior cricket. Once he graduated to the higher league, a young Saha decided to lodge himself near Sealdah station in Kolkata, away from his family. And it was only after former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta decided to join the now defunct Indian Cricket League bandwagon, that he got the Bengal cap.
In an age where power hitting has become a trend, Saha remained reluctant to give in to the unorthodox ways of batting. He, however, kept playing crucial knocks for Bengal. "I’ll always maintain that I am a wicketkeeper first. It’s a given that a keeper has to bat well these days but I want to be known as a good wicketkeeper as well. Wicketkeeping is my primary job and scoring runs comes along with it," he had said once.
After Sunday, it’s his batting which will be the talk of the town.