Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha is in contention to become Bengal U-23 coach after announcing his retirement from all formats in January 2025.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is interested in roping him in to become the next U-23 coach of the side. He retired from first-class cricket in January this year at the end of Bengal’s league stage campaign in the Ranji Trophy.
It is also being reported that Laxmi Ratan Shukla will continue as the coach of the Bengal senior team, while former off-spinner Saurashis Lahiri will coach the U-19 team.
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Final Decision On Wriddhiman Saha To Be Taken Next Week
The CAB has come up with a formal statement showing interest in getting him as the Bengal U-23 coach.
“The CAB brass will be zeroing in on all the candidates for various teams by next week. Obviously, Wriddhi has been sounded out and a final decision will be taken next week. Apart from Sourav Ganguly and Pankaj Roy, he is the biggest name from Bengal with 40 Tests,” a senior CAB source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
“His experience of playing top level cricket for so long will only help the Gen-Next of Bengal cricket. Wriddhi already runs a chain of coaching centres and he has been a very hands on coach for juniors. He is passionate about coaching. Hopefully, he will be ready,” the source added.
Meanwhile, people in the cricket circuit in Bengal believe that his coaching stint with the Bengal U-23 team will have him in good stead for further ching roles in the IPL and even with the Indian team in the future.
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Saha's Test Career In Numbers
Wriddhiman Saha retired from international cricket after playing 40 Tests and 9 ODIs for India. His biggest contribution for India lies in Test cricket as he was a regular member of the side between 2018-2021. He scored three Test centuries for India and is behind Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni in the list of most centuries by an Indian wicket-keeper in Tests. He scored six fifties besides scoring three centuries and scored almost 3000 runs in the format. He also took 92 catches and effected 12 stumpings in his Test career.
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