Ganguly as BCCI president can improve Indian cricket, feels Saha

Indian national cricket team’s wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha said on Friday (October 18) that BCCI president-elect Sourav Ganguly can bring about a lot of improvements in the sport.

Saha has seen him in the Bengal dressing room and believed Ganguly as BCCI chief will be an added “plus point” to the cricketers.

The unopposed presidential candidate has made it clear that his priority would be to uplift the first-class cricketers and increase their remunerations.

“He is aware of players’ demands and knows what goes on between them. It will be an added plus to the team and individual players,” Saha, who was a member of the Ganguly-led Vijay Hazare Trophy Bengal team in 2012, said.

“I hope players will immensely benefit after Dadi (Ganguly) takes up the new role, especially under the circumstances. He has represented the country for a long time and then went on to dominate Indian cricket first as a player then captain,” he added.

Also read: Skipper Du Plessis wants team to ‘bat big’ like India in final Test

“He can bring about a lot of improvements as he knows the game inside out. If something is not happening, Dadi can make it happen,” Saha opined.

Ganguly, recently said he would talk to the Indian selectors and skipper Virat Kohli, seeking clarity on the future of MS Dhoni, who is on a sabbatical since India’s World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand.

Speaking about Dhoni, Saha said: “It’s Dhoni bhai’s individual decision. He has played for a long time and he knows it well when and what to do.”

The Test cricketer also expressed that the cut-throat competition for a place in India’s playing XI has not affected his relationship with his understudy, Rishabh Pant, as the duo try to help each other with notes on glovework.

Saha was out of the Indian team for 20 months due to shoulder surgery but his now back to his best as a keeper with some stunning catches in the recently concluded second Test against South Africa in Pune.

Also read: India to go for 3-0 series whitewash in final Test against SA at Ranchi

Six days short of his 35th birthday, the sprightly Saha is often seen helping Pant with keeping drills after his own training, something that has been directed by the team managed.

Ask him if he is mentoring Pant and the ever-reticent Saha replied in negative.

“There’s nothing (mentoring) like that. We just discuss normally the way the wicketkeepers discuss. With Sridhar and Pant, we three jointly decide on how to go about our wicketkeeping on a particular type of wicket,” he said.

The co-ordination and rapport between them help it easier for them to work together.

“We always observe each other’s wicket-keeping. We work hard in our practice sessions and have a good understanding and co-ordination among ourselves. We always try to point out each other’s mistakes. It’s been going well so far,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)