Picture Credit: Twitter
Indian wicketkeeper batter Wriddhiman Saha made some serious revelations between Saturday night (19 February) and Sunday morning (20 February). First, he posted the screenshot of threatening messages he received from a journalist regarding an interview denial, and then he openly spoke about how his Test snub was executed, to different media houses.
Saha made some big claims about BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, Team India head coach Rahul Dravid, and Chairman of BCCI's Selection Committee Chetan Sharma. While he claimed that Sourav Ganguly assured him that he won't lose his place in the team till he is there, Saha revealed that Chetan Sharma informed him that he won't be considered for selection anymore. The 37-year-old also revealed that after the 3rd Test against South Africa, the team's head coach Rahul Dravid suggested he consider retirement as the team was now looking to groom a young wicketkeeper.
All these claims from Saha raised quite a few questions about the functioning of the management. It also dragged Rahul Dravid into an unwanted controversy who generally enjoys a clean reputation. But Dravid was 'not hurt at all' from Saha's action and rather praised the veteran keeper for his contributions to Indian cricket.
"I'm not hurt at all. I have a deep respect for Saha and his achievements and contributions to Indian cricket. My conversation with him actually came from that place, from my respect for him. He deserved honesty and clarity. I didn't want him to hear about it from the media," he said.
"These are conversations I constantly have with players. I'm not hurt about it at all because I don't expect players to always like all the messages or agree with everything I have to say about them. That's not how it works. When you have difficult conversations with people, sometimes you have to have them with players, you don't always expect them to agree with you or like with you. But that doesn't mean you brush it under the carpet and don't have the conversations. I truly believe in having those conversations," said Dravid at the post-match Press conference after the 3rd T20I.
He shouldn't have gone in public: Snehashish Ganguly
While Rahul Dravid did not mind Saha talking about their private conversation in public, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Secretary and Sourav Ganguly's elder brother Snehashish Ganguly looked displeased at Saha's action. He opined that the cricketer should not have gone in public and should have also participated in the Ranji Trophy.
“This is my personal opinion, but what was communicated to him (Saha) by the chief selector/BCCI was private. He probably shouldn’t have gone public with that. Also, he could have played the Ranji Trophy. He cited personal reasons for pulling out and we have to respect that. The door is always open for him, whenever he wants to join the squad,” Snehasish told reporters on Sunday.