The contentious matter of Wriddhiman Saha receiving threats from a journalist upon denying the request for an interview is set to be investigated thoroughly by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The Indian Test cricketer was threatened by this “respected” journalist, who said “I don’t take insults kindly” when the 37-year-old refused to budge over his proposal following the ouster from the squad for the Sri Lanka series.
Saha came out with the details of the conversation by posting the screengrab of the WhatsApp messages made by this journalist on February 21 over Twitter, triggering a shockwave around the Indian cricket community.
With prominent names in Indian cricket coming up in support of the player and urging him to disclose the name of the individual involved, the BCCI was being put on a spot as it was expected to act very strongly in defense of its player. According to a report by the Times of India, the board is indeed in no mood to let the matter fade out of memories.
“The matter cannot be put to rest until every single detail of what Saha has said in the interview and the tweet he shared is looked into,”
TOI quoted a BCCI official privy to the issue as saying.
Through the Saha case, the board could look to get to the core of the “nexus” that may be in existence and acting collectively against multiple of its players.
“Saha is a contracted cricketer of the BCCI. The onus is on the Board to not let its own player down. That aside, if there is any kind of a nexus at work here, one has to look into it,”
the board official added.
Saha’s revelation and post came on the very day he was dropped from the series against the Lanka lions, with strong indications that it is the end of the road for the wicketkeeper-batter.
In an interview with Sportstar, Saha disclosed that he was first told of his imminent sacking by head coach Rahul Dravid at the end of the Test series in South Africa. The coach told Saha that the think-tank is looking to groom a younger backup option, with Rishabh Pant being the incumbent. Saha also revealed his phone call with chief selector Chetan Sharma, who, according to him, told the player, “from now on, you will not be considered”.
Also read 👉 Saha deserved honesty and clarity – Dravid
While Sharma didn’t say whether the fate is sealed for Saha when he spoke to the press, Dravid never denied he had such a conversation with Saha and only reiterated what he told the experienced cricketer, adding that he “deserved honesty and clarity” from him.
But for several BCCI officials, a major bone of contention is the remarks made by board president Sourav Ganguly to Saha during the series against New Zealand in November. As Saha played a critical knock of 61 in Kanpur despite a stiff neck, the board’s chairman congratulated him over chat and assured him that his place in the team will stay intact as long as he is at the helm of BCCI.
“The biggest shock was that when I scored 61 against New Zealand in Kanpur despite being injured, Dadi (as BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is referred to), texted to congratulate me and said I didn’t need to worry about anything till he is there. Naturally, I was shocked at what I was told immediately one series after,”
said Saha in a different interview with ESPNcricinfo.
Important functionaries within the board didn’t like Ganguly offering assurance to Saha, asking with what power can a board president assure a player of his selection unless he is unconstitutionally influencing the selection matters.
