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Cricket PlayersWriddhiman Saha is fit and has recovered from his neck niggle, confirms Virat Kohli ahead of Wankhede Test
Saha had suffered a stiff neck ahead of the start of day 3 at the Green Park Stadium, following which substitute KS Bharat had donned the gloves.
Indian captain Virat Kohli on Thursday revealed that veteran wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has recovered from the neck injury he sustained during the opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur and is fit for the Wankhede Test which begins from December 3.
"Wriddhiman Saha is now fit and he has recovered from his neck niggle. We will discuss the combination in a bit based on weather and pitch conditions," said Kohli in the pre-match virtual press conference on Thursday.
Saha had suffered a stiff neck ahead of the start of day 3 at the Green Park Stadium, following which substitute KS Bharat had donned the gloves. In his stead, Bharat inflicted three dismissals in the first innings which included a low catch off R Ashwin to dismiss Will Young.
Follow LIVE blog here: India vs New Zealand Live Cricket Score, 2nd Test, Day 1
With his Test career on the line, following an impressive show from Bharat and his poor return with the bat yet again in the first innings, Saha battled against his own injury to score a gutsy 61 not out to revive India alongside Shreyas Iyer's 65 after the top order failed in the second innings.
It was Saha's first half-century knock since 2017 and it helped India set a target of 284 against New Zealand.
With Saha fit, he is likely to take the wicketkeeper's position in the playing XI leaving the mystery to continue as to who out of Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane will make way for Kohli in the playing XI for the second Test.
Kohli had taken a break from the opening Test, but will return for the second game with India's series on the line after the draw in Kanpur.