Wriddhiman Saha on Sunday was in blistering mode in the IPL 2023 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Narendra Modi Stadium. While Shubman Gill, the usually talked-about batter in the partnership, struggled to find the gaps in the powerplay, Saha used the crease to his advantage to take down both spinners and pacers, smacking them all around the park in what was a crazy knock of 81 runs off 43 balls. And en route to that blitzkrieg knock, BCCI selectors were requested to name Saha as a replacement for KL Rahul for the World Test Championship final. (GT vs LSG Live Score, IPL 2023)
After being put to bat first in the day game, Saha took down Mohsin Khan for back-to-back boundaries in the very first over before smashing Avesh Khan for a six and a four in the next. He eventually amassed six boundaries and three maximums in the powerplay itself as Gujarat pulled off their highest ever score of 78/0 in IPL during the first bowling phase. Saha scored 54 off those runs in just 23 balls.
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En route to his 20-ball half-century, social media was flooded with requests for the BCCI selectors, calling it a perfect time to announce Saha as the replacement for injured KL Rahul for the WTC final against Australia next month. Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh was among the first to have teased the proposition. Here are a few others…
Earlier this week, Rahul, who had incurred an injury while fielding in the match against RCB a few weeks back, was officially ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing IPL 2023. LSG on Friday revealed that "further tests and scans have unfortunately confirmed a significant tear to Rahul's tendon which will require surgery." He has now been ruled out of the WTC final as well, leaving India with just a solitary wicketkeeping option in KS Bharat.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this week, Rahul, who had incurred an injury while fielding in the match against RCB a few weeks back, was officially ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing IPL 2023. LSG on Friday revealed that "further tests and scans have unfortunately confirmed a significant tear to Rahul's tendon which will require surgery." He has now been ruled out of the WTC final as well, leaving India with just a solitary wicketkeeping option in KS Bharat.
{{/usCountry}}While BCCI fell back on Ajinkya Rahane on the basis of his experience for the WTC final, the selectors might consider Saha as well citing the same reason, albeit as a back-up option. The wicketkeeper-batter has been in a good form in IPL 2023, where is 43-ball 81 on Sunday led his run tally to 273 in 11 innings.