Wriddhiman Saha sent shockwaves after making public a threat he received from a journalist. However, the wicket-keeper batter didn’t wish to disclose the identity of the journalist despite receiving enormous support and encouragement from his peers and the rest of the cricket community. The BCCI has now taken up the case and is setting up a committee of three people to investigate.
Wriddhiman Saha is going through a particularly rough period in his career. After being dropped from the Indian Test side for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka with head coach Rahul Dravid asking him to consider retirement, the veteran cricketer got threatened by a renowned journalist.
Saha shared the details of the interaction by uploading a screenshot of the conversation on Twitter which went viral in no time. The act was condemned unanimously, and several former Indian teammates and peers of Wriddhiman Saha also expressed their displeasure at it.
In the screenshot posted on Twitter, the journalist was prying him for an interview and when the wicket-keeper batter didn’t show interest, he threatened him by saying,
“You did not call. Never again will I interview you. I don’t take insults kindly. And I will remember this.”
Saha shared the message with the caption,
“After all of my contributions to Indian cricket. This is what I face from a so-called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone”.
However, despite being asked several times by former cricketers as well as fans, Saha refused to disclose the identity of the journalist claiming that it was not in his nature to seek revenge.
The matter seems to have blown above and beyond and the BCCI is now getting into the act. According to Cricbuzz, the highest governing body of cricket in India is now setting up a three-member committee to investigate the matter of Wriddhiman Saha being threatened by the journalist.
The committee will be headed by BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla, treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal, and Apex Council member Prabhtej Singh Bhatia. The investigation is expected to begin as early as next week.
With that being said, there were also reports that suggested that the BCCI is likely to question and show cause Saha on his recent comments regarding BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, head coach Rahul Dravid as well as the chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma as it results in a breach of central contract.
According to clause 6.3 of the BCCI central contract for the players, “Player shall not make any comments about the game, officials, incidents that happened in the game, use of technology, selection matters or any other matter related to the game which is in opinion of the BCCI is adverse to and /or not in the interest of the game, team or BCCI in any media.”
After being dropped from the Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, Saha had told the media about the conversation he had with Ganguly following his knock against New Zealand. Apparently, the former Indian opener had assured Saha a “spot in the Test squad as long as he was BCCI boss.”
However, that did not prove to be the case as the recent management communicated their desire of moving past him and grooming a young reserve wicket-keeper instead.
The gloveman also slammed Dravid and revealed that the Wall had apparently asked him to consider retiring. This was one of the questions posed to him by the media following the whitewash against West Indies.
“I’m not hurt at all. I have a deep respect for Wriddhiman Saha and his achievements and contributions to Indian cricket. My conversation with him actually came from that place, from my respect for him. He deserved honesty and clarity. I didn’t want him to hear about it from the media.”
Dravid said.
The head coach further added that, in his position, it is one of his responsibilities to have these difficult conversations with the players in order to keep things clear and transparent. Both him and new captain Rohit Sharma agree on this aspect of role clarity. Even when players are excluded from the XI, they are given proper reasons for it.
