It is a hard one to swallow for Wriddhiman Saha – Dinesh Karthik after wicket-keeper’s axing

Veteran wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik believes it is a hard pill to swallow for Wriddhiman Saha after he was dropped from the Test squad.

Saha was told by Rahul Dravid to contemplate retirement as the team management and selectors want to groom a young keeper as incumbent Rishabh Pant has grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

Saha had revealed that he was surprised by Dravid’s statement as BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had assured him of his place in the Test team after he had scored a gutsy fifty against New Zealand despite battling a lower back injury.

On the other hand, Dravid said that he wanted to clarify Saha about the team’s plans and wanted to provide him a clarity. The head coach said he was not at all hurt by Saha’s comments and he respects what he has done for the team over the years.

Karthik told ICC: “I’m pretty sure from wherever I’ve seen with Wriddhiman’s interviews, he understands where this decision is coming from. I know no cricketer is going to accept that when you’re being told to move on. It is a very hard one because this is what they’ve been doing day in and day out.”

Karthik continued: “All of us want to represent the country and that is the burning desire for everybody. So when somebody comes in says, ‘I think your time is done,’ it can be a hard one to swallow. But it is understandable and you have to understand where the selectors, the coach, and the captain are coming from.”

Meanwhile, Wriddhiman Saha played 40 Test matches in which he took 92 catches and effected 12 stumpings. Saha scored 1353 runs at an average of 29.41.

“Kudos to Wriddhiman Saha. I think he has been one of those brilliant, quiet servants of Indian cricket who has done so well over a period of years.”

India will only play three Test matches in 2022 and the first of them will take place in Mohali from Friday.