Wriddhiman Saha targets full match fitness ahead of South Africa series

Wriddhiman Saha flicking the ball to the leg-side in the 1st test vs Sri Lanka at Galle

The young Indian wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha is targetting full match fitness ahead of the South Africa test series. The blues will take on the experienced South African side in a 4-match Test series in the month of November.

The wicket-keeper batsman injured his hamstring on the Sri Lankan tour and had returned to Kolkata to get himself treated for the same. He said, “South Africa Tests are still two months away. I am confident that I will get fit much before that. Hopefully, I will be playing Ranji Trophy for Bengal next month to get match fit,” as reported by ESPN Cricinfo.

Saha played the first two test matches against Sri Lanka and looked quite composed as he notched up two half-centuries in the process. According to the captain of the Indian test team Virat Kohli, Saha has the potential to be India’s wicket-keeper batsman for the next 5 years.

India had called up Naman Ojha to replace Saha for the third and final test of the Sri Lankan series. Ojha went on to get a start in both the innings, however, he failed to convert those starts in a big innings.

“My job is to keep improving”

Saha added, “I don't play cricket thinking about others' performance, I got injured and Naman was assigned a duty. He did his job to the best of his abilities and India have won the match. Now who will play is up to the selectors. My job is to keep improving and I will strive in doing that.”

He even thanked the senior players in the team who helped him when he was not able to perform well under pressure. Saha got out in single digits in both the innings he played in the practice match just before the Sri Lankan series.

He said, “When I had low scores (3 and 1) in the warm-up game, Ajinkya [Rahane] came up and told me, 'Don't worry. You will score in Tests where it matters. That's what has been the hallmark. Everyone is enjoying each other's success."

Saha rated his innings in the 1st test at Galle as a better innings than the next fifty he scored in the next match. He said he got immense confidence after he got to his maiden test half-century and is hopeful of more better knocks in the future series to cement his place in the test team.

He added, "Obviously, the twin half-centuries acted as confidence boosters. I am happy that I have played my little part in the team's 2-1 series victory. For me, more than the volume of runs, it is important that in what situation I have scored those runs. When I look back, I feel a bit of satisfaction that I could deliver what Virat wanted from me.”