Ranji Trophy: Wriddhiman Saha To Boost Bengal's Chances In Final
Published - 03 Mar 2020, 05:45 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:04 AM
Bengal will be bidding for their third Ranji trophy title in the 2019-20 edition final slated to get underway from March 9. Bengal toppled Karnataka by 174 runs to reach the summit clash of the prestigious tournament. They have not won the Ranji trophy since 1989-90 despite featuring in the final three times after that.
But Bengal might just make the most of the opportunity as they have an added boost in form of India wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha, who is set to join the squad for the final.
Wriddhiman Saha likely to replace Abhishek Raman in final
Saha, who was not a picked up in the line-up for the Test series against New Zealand, is likely to replace opener Abhishek Raman in the playing XI. Raman has looked out of touch in the season and consistently struggling for runs.
Saha had recovered from a surgery on his right finger to make a comeback into the India Test side. But young Rishabh Pant was preferred over him as the wicket-keeper batsman for the two-match Test series.
In the 2017-18 Ranji trophy, Saha averaged 38.33 from four matches.
Wriddhiman Saha record in first-class cricket
Saha has scored 6190 runs in FC cricket at an average of 42.68. He has the high score of an unbeaten 203 in the format and has 13 centuries and 55 half-centuries under his belt.
Saha, who was once India’s No.1 wicket-keeper batsman, has also made important contribution for his side in FC cricket from behind the stumps.
The veteran Bengal cricketer has 35 stumpings and 305 catches to his name.
Moreover, his experience of representing the national team in 37 matches will come handy for Bengal in the final. He has 1238 Test runs to his name, which includes three centuries and five half-centuries. The 35-year-old. who has not been a regular feature in the longest format, holds an average of 30.19.
