‘Not like if I am sitting outside, I won’t speak to Rishabh Pant’ - Wriddhiman Saha

With fantastic hundreds in both the series, Pant made a name for himself in the Australia series, thus brining out a selection dilemma on who should be the first wicketkeeper-batsman choice for the team.

India wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha on Sunday opened up on his relations with fellow India ‘keeper Rishabh Pant. Saha faced stiff competition for a spot in the team with MS Dhoni donning the gloves in Test cricket. But since his retirement from the longest format in 2014, Saha was touted to be Dhoni’s replacement, at least in the longest format. But a shoulder injury suffered in IPL 2018 saw him being ruled out of the England and Australia tour, and Rishabh Pant was picked in his place.

File image of Wriddhiman Saha. (File)

With fantastic hundreds in both the series, Pant made a name for himself, thus brining out a selection dilemma on who should be the first-choice ‘keeper in the Indian Test side. Addressing the same, Saha said that he is not fazed by the competition and enjoys a friendly relation with Pant.

“During my rehab at NCA the physio would give me messages that the team management was asking about my improvements. I am a motivated person since my childhood days. I don’t worry much when I don’t perform well, I don’t go and sit in a corner. I appreciated Rishabh Pant and texted him when he scored a hundred in England,” he said in an interview to SportsTak.

“I also talked with Rishabh Pant when he came at NCA and he told me about the swing moments in England. It was not as if I was not talking to him and saying that your are playing and I am sitting outside and so I will not talk to you. We are good friends and even play games together on play stations,” Saha added.

Meanwhile, Saha also said that he learned maximum from  Dhoni while being on the sidelines. “I didn’t replace MS Dhoni, I got chance after he left playing Test cricket. The Test in which I debuted, VVS Laxman was not playing because of finger injury. Rohit Sharma was called to replace him (in Nagpur Test match vs South Africa) as he had scored a good hundred in the Board President match,” he said.

“His keeping or batting style, his stumping in fraction of seconds, there are a lot of things to learn. He 2-4 years older to me, I was knowing that if MS Dhoni is playing I will not get to play. Nobody likes sitting outside but with MS Dhoni in the team there is no option left. So, I learnt the maximum from and performed whenever given chance,” he added.