Former Indian cricketer Anjum Chopra believes that Wriddhiman Saha should have been selected in the Indian squad for the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia. According to Chopra, Saha’s experience would have made him a better option for the one-off Test.
Despite the injuries to Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, the Indian team has selected young KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan as their wicketkeeping options. It is likely that Bharat will be chosen for the game since Kishan has yet to make his Test debut.
However, Chopra believes that Saha, who is considered one of the best wicketkeepers in the world, should have been given the opportunity.
Chopra also mentioned that Ishan Kishan has performed well in all formats recently and could be a part of any side. Ultimately, the final decision lies with the team management. However, considering the one-off Test and the pressure of the WTC Final, Chopra believes that Saha’s experience would have been valuable behind the stumps.
Saha was dropped from the Test team at the end of 2021 due to his age and the emergence of young talents like Pant. However, he has continued to perform well in First-Class cricket, scoring 313 runs at an average of 52.16 in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23.
Chopra acknowledged that Saha has been informed that the team management is looking beyond him, but she emphasized that considering the wealth of experience he possesses, selecting him for this one game wouldn’t have been a bad decision. The challenging English conditions could pose a test for young players in a high-pressure WTC Final.