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'When someone says "I think your time's done", it can be hard': Karthik offers support to India senior after Test drop
Karthik hailed the India senior's contributions to the team but also insisted that the decision to drop him was “understandable.”
Team India's squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka saw a number of changes that reflected on the beginning of a transitional phase in the longest format. Senior players like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, and Ishant Sharma were excluded from the squad with youngsters replacing them in their respective roles. However, the exclusion of wicketkeeper-batter Saha raised certain eyebrows and the player's comments following the exclusion ignited controversy in Indian cricket.
Saha had stated that he was assured of a place by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly after his half-century knock against New Zealand in November. However, two months later, he was told by Rahul Dravid that his selection in the Indian team is unlikely in the future.
With the veteran wicketkeeper-batter unlikely to make a return in the near future, fellow India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik lauded Saha on his contribution to Indian cricket and offered his support to the senior player after his unceremonious ouster.
“I'm pretty sure from wherever I've seen with Wriddhiman's interviews, he understands where this decision is coming from. I know no cricketer is going to accept that when you're being told to move on. It is a very hard one because this is what they've been doing day in and day out,” Karthik told ICC.
"All of us want to represent the country and that is the burning desire for everybody. So when somebody comes in says, 'I think your time is done,' it can be a hard one to swallow. But it is understandable and you have to understand where the selectors, the coach and the captain are coming from.
“Kudos to Wriddhiman Saha. I think he has been one of those brilliant, quiet servants of Indian cricket who has done so well over a period of years.”
Recalling Mahendra Singh Dhoni's arrival in international cricket which led to the exclusion of Karthik himself, the 36-year-old stated that Rishabh Pant's emergence did something similar to Saha.
“Just like MS Dhoni came in all those years ago, we've had a Rishabh Pant who's come in over the last couple of years and has done really well. When that happens, Saha has obviously become the second wicketkeeper and he has been travelling with the team and playing the odd match here and there,” said Karthik.
