Wriddhiman Saha should have been in India squad for WTC final: Anjum Chopra

Former Indian cricketer Anjum Chopra believes that the selectors should have chosen Wriddhiman Saha in the Indian squad for the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval. The veteran wicketkeeper has been sidelined after the emergence of Rishabh Pant in the longer format of the game.

However, with Pant and KL Rahul injured, the Indian team has gone in with young KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan as their wicketkeeping options for the one-off Test. Meanwhile, India would most likely go with Bharat in the game as Kishan has yet to make his Test debut for India. Chopra reckoned that India should have gone to the experienced Saha who is regarded as one of the most best wicketkeepers in the world.

“Ishan Kishan can be a part of any side because he has done well in all formats lately. Who will play in the final eleven will be the management’s call. Still, I felt, that Wriddhiman Saha would have been a better option keeping in mind the fact that it is a one-off Test and you will want to have an experienced person behind the stumps,” Anjum Chopra told Mykhel.

Saha has been told that management is looking beyond him, but it is just a one-off game: Anjum Chopra

Saha was dropped from the Test team at the end of 2021 because of his age and the rise of young Pant. He last played First-Class cricket in Ranji Trophy 2022-23, where he amassed 313 runs at an average of 52.16, including a century and two half-centuries for Tripura.

“I know he’s been told that the team management is looking beyond him but it is just one game you are looking at and the wealth of experience he has. Taking nothing away from Ishan and Srikar Bharat, but it wouldn’t have been a bad call because English conditions could be testing as well for youngsters in a high-pressure WTC Final,” Chopra added.