New Delhi [India], February 2: As Wriddhiman Saha officially announced his retirement from all formats of cricket, several former and current Indian cricketers, including Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Irfan Pathan, and Cheteshwar Pujara, took to social media to share their heartfelt messages and congratulate the wicketkeeper-batter for his illustrious career.
Saha played his final match against Punjab with Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Elite 2024-25 Group C encounter, but was dismissed for a seven-ball duck by Gurnoor Brar. However, Bengal secured a victory by an innings and 13 runs, highlighting Saha’s legacy, despite his personal setback.
Shikhar Dhawan, former India opener, praised Saha’s incredible journey and wished him all the best in his post-cricket life, writing on X, “From sharing dressing rooms to seeing you pull off those insane stumpings, what a journey you’ve had bro! Wishing you all the success and happiness in this new phase of life. You’ll always be a champion.”
Irfan Pathan, former Indian all-rounder, referred to Saha as “udtaaaaaa Saha” and congratulated him for his wicket-keeping skills, which he called the best in Test cricket. “Congratulations @Wriddhipops on your career. Your wicket-keeping skills were the best we had in test cricket. Will miss calling it ‘udtaaaaaa Saha’. I’m sure you will keep flying high in your second innings buddy. Good luck,” Pathan shared on X.
Cheteshwar Pujara, the Saurashtra and India batter, also praised Saha for his invaluable contributions to Indian cricket. “Congratulations on an incredible career @Wriddhipops! Your contribution to Indian cricket has been invaluable. It has been a pleasure spending time with you on and off the field! Best wishes for the journey ahead,” Pujara wrote on X.
Rishabh Pant, current Indian wicketkeeper, shared a photo with Saha and expressed admiration for his skills. “As a fellow keeper, I have always admired your skills and your craft. Wishing you all the success and happiness in your next chapter @Wriddhipops bhaiya,” Pant wrote on X.
Earlier, Saha received a guard of honour from his teammates as he batted for the last time. In his emotional farewell post on X, he recalled his journey starting in 1997, expressing immense gratitude for the game, his family, and the countless people who supported him throughout his career.
“It has been 28 years since I first stepped onto a cricket field in 1997, and what a journey it has been! Representing my country, state, district, clubs, university, college, and school has been the greatest honor of my life,” Saha wrote. He also thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their continuous support.
Saha made his first-class debut in 2007, playing 142 matches and 210 innings, scoring 7,169 runs at an average of 41.43. He has 14 centuries and 44 fifties to his name. In his international career, Saha represented India in 40 Tests, scoring 1,353 runs, including three centuries and six fifties. His last international appearance was in 2021.