Wriddhiman Saha, the veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter, has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket as of February 1, 2025. This decision comes after a remarkable 28-year career that began in 1997. Saha’s last match was during the Ranji Trophy against Punjab, where he unfortunately scored a duck, but his team, Bengal, secured victory by an innings and 13 runs.
Career Highlights
- International Matches: Saha represented India in 49 matches, comprising 40 Tests and 9 One Day Internationals (ODIs). He accumulated a total of 1,353 runs in Test cricket at an average of 29.41, including three centuries and six fifties.
- Domestic Cricket: In domestic cricket, he played 142 First-Class matches and scored 7,169 runs at an average of 41.43, with 14 centuries and 44 fifties to his name.
- IPL Contributions: Saha had significant stints with various IPL franchises including Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and Gujarat Titans. His standout performance came in the 2014 IPL final when he scored a century for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) despite their loss.
Retirement Announcement
In his emotional farewell message shared on social media, Saha reflected on his journey, expressing gratitude to his family, teammates, and support staff. He described representing various teams as the greatest honor of his life and acknowledged the invaluable lessons and experiences cricket has provided him. Saha emphasized that it is now time to focus on family and embrace life beyond cricket.
He expressed heartfelt thanks to his parents, brother Anirban, wife Romi, children Anvi and Anvay, as well as all those who supported him throughout his career. His announcement marks the end of an era for a player who was considered one of India’s finest wicketkeepers during his tenure.
