Wriddhiman Saha, India’s seasoned wicketkeeper, has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, closing a career spanning 17 years. Saha, who has represented India in 40 Tests, shared the decision on his social media.
Currently, Saha is preparing to play for Bengal in their upcoming fourth-round match against Karnataka in Bengaluru. He rejoined Bengal after two seasons with Tripura, where he had taken on a player-mentor role. His return followed a conversation with Sourav Ganguly, former India captain, who played a role in bringing him back to his home state team. Upon his return, Saha clarified his focus on first-class cricket with an aim to help Bengal in their pursuit of a Ranji Trophy title, which they narrowly missed in the 2019-20 season after losing to Saurashtra in the final.
Saha refrained from discussing the reasons behind his departure from the Indian Test team, instead choosing to focus on his future plans. He expressed an interest in exploring coaching opportunities, saying he preferred that route over administrative roles.
Saha became India’s primary wicketkeeper in Test cricket after MS Dhoni’s retirement from the format in 2014. His last international appearance was in December 2021, after which he reportedly received an indication from then-coach Rahul Dravid and the management that the team was ready to move in a different direction.
In the IPL, Saha has been a part of every season since its start in 2008. Most recently, he played for Gujarat Titans, with whom he won the title in 2022. He has previously represented Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings. Notably, he scored a century for Punjab in the 2014 IPL final, though they finished as runners-up that season. Looking ahead, it is unlikely that Saha will participate in the upcoming IPL auction.
