Why BCCI ignored Saha, picked Ishan Kishan as Rahul's replacement for WTC final | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Why BCCI ignored Wriddhiman Saha and picked Ishan Kishan as Rahul's replacement for WTC final

May 09, 2023 07:33 AM IST

Social media was left enraged at Ishan being announced as the replacement for Rahul over Saha, but a recent report explained the reason behind the decision.

BCCI's selection committee on Monday named Ishan Kishan as the replacement for KL Rahul, who had injured his upper right thigh during the ongoing IPL 2023, for the World Test Championship final against Australia next month. Last week, Rahul, captain of Lucknow Super Giants, had ruled himself out of the WTC final after incurring an injury while fielding in an IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Social media was left enraged at an uncapped Ishan being announced as the replacement for Rahul over the experienced Wriddhiman Saha, but a recent report explained the reason behind the decision.

Wriddhiman Saha; Ishan Kishan
Wriddhiman Saha; Ishan Kishan

Saha, who last appeared for Team India in the Wankhede Test match in December 2021, was expected to be named by the selectors for the WTC final after his recent impressive performances in IPL 2023 which included his wicketkeeping as well. With selectors going back to Ajinkya Rahane based on experience, fans on social media felt a similar could be pulled off in the case of Saha as well.

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However, the selection committee, under interim chief Shiv Sunder Das, backed Ishan for the role and it only showed continuity given that he was picked as the back-up wicketkeeping option in the Border-Gavaskar series as well, as explained in a report by PTI which added that Saha's name was never even taken during the discussion for the second keeper's role.

ALSO READ: 'Congratulations AUS for winning WTC final': BCCI blasted for 'injustice' in picking Ishan Kishan over Sarfaraz and Saha

"Kishan was the designated second keeper for Border Gavaskar Trophy. There was no discussion on Wriddhiman Saha," a source privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

A year back, the 39-year-old had admitted that the door for his return to the Indian team was closed forever. “Don’t think so I will be selected for India anymore," the wicketkeeper-batter told Sports Tak in an interview, “Coach and chief selectors had already informed me. If they wanted to select me, I could have been part of the England tour based on my IPL performance. It’s a clear decision (on their part). But I am only concerned about playing cricket. Till the time I am feeling good, I will continue."

There was also an uproar over India A skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran missing from the stand-by list where Ruturaj Gaikwad got a mention alongside Mukesh Kumar and Suryakumar Yadav. Fans cited Easwaran's India A record to question the logic behind his snub against the selection of the Maharashtra batter, who is known more for his exploits in the IPL for CSK.

The PTI report explained that for the selection committee how the runs are scored and against which type of attacks and under what conditions matter more than the volume of runs scored. The factors that stood against Easwaran were his inability to be roped in by any of the IPL franchise or win any major knockout game for Bengal in the past couple of seasons.

India's squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).

Standby players: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav.

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