Wriddhiman Saha on Saturday tweeted a screenshot of texts from a journalist, who seems to be persistent in getting an interview, crossing some lines in the process.
The journalist taunts him for not giving an interview and even uses a threatening tone, from what we can figure from the messages.
After all of my contributions to Indian cricket..this is what I face from a so called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone. pic.twitter.com/woVyq1sOZX
— Wriddhiman Saha (@Wriddhipops) February 19, 2022
Wridhi you just name the person so that the cricket community knows who operates like this. Else even the good ones will be put under suspicion.. What kind of journalism is this ? @BCCI @Wriddhipops @JayShah @SGanguly99 @ThakurArunS players should be protected https://t.co/sIkqtIHsvt
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 20, 2022
It is disappointing to see all this being discussed on a public platform. I’m sure there are better ways to ask for an interview! I hope better sense prevails in future. @Wriddhipops
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 20, 2022
This comes after Saha’s exclusion from the Indian squad that is go hasing to play against Sri Lanka and came with its own set of debates/discussions.
The wicketkeeper-batsman elaborated on how he was asked to consider retirement from the higher-ups and that Sourav Ganguly personally contacted him after his knock against New Zealand and assured him that there was nothing to worry about.
Wriddhiman Saha talking about Sourav Ganguly’s words after scoring 61 runs Innings with pain killers. (To TOI) pic.twitter.com/rH4qJzVQMH
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) February 19, 2022
Here are Saha’s exact words on his exclusion:
The team management had told me that I would not be considered henceforth. I could not tell this so long as I was part of the India team setup. Even coach Rahul Dravid suggested that I think about taking retirement.
Meanwhile, this was Dravid’s reaction.
Rahul Dravid on Wriddhiman Saha 🗣️ “The easiest thing for me is to not have these conversations but that’s not who I am”
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 21, 2022
And on Ganguly’s “promise”:
After scoring 61 against New Zealand at Kanpur, Dadi (Ganguly) congratulated me over WhatsApp and mentioned, ‘As long as I’m here (helming the BCCI), you would be in the team’. Such a message from the BCCI president really boosted my confidence. What I’m struggling to understand is that how things have changed so fast.
While WhatsApp promises aren’t the most binding of all commitments that are made between two people, one should try to understand Saha’s disappoitnment.
The controversy surrounding Wriddhiman Saha’s tweet has had a rippling affect within the BCCI.
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) February 21, 2022
The board wants to delve deep into this, will ask Saha to step up and spell out details.
https://t.co/r8TGUYckor
Anyway, the matter has now escalated beyond general discussions, as BCCI plans to investigate the whole issue. A report from ToI quoted an official as saying:
The Rahul Dravid-bit is understandable. He’s the national coach and may have wanted to keep his players in the loop. That’s between the coach and the players. What was the need for a BCCI official to speak with Saha and assure him of a place in the side? ‘I don’t need to worry till he’s there’. Kitni galat baat hai yeh.
His tweet will also be probed.
“The BCCI will ask the Wriddhiman Saha to reveal the unnamed person’s Journalist identity before deciding on its course of action.” – According to Indian Express
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) February 21, 2022
Let’s hope matters settle soon. Saha will likely be seen in Ranji Trophy for the foreseeable future.
