Veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha received a heartfelt farewell as he played his final professional match for Bengal against Punjab at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The 40-year-old, who had previously announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, was given a touching tribute with a guard of honor from his teammates, match officials, and even opposition players, acknowledging his remarkable contributions to domestic and international cricket.
Initially, Saha had planned to retire before the season began, but a conversation with former India captain Sourav Ganguly and his wife, Romi, convinced him to extend his career for one last hurrah.
As he stepped onto the field for his farewell match, his Bengal teammates formed a guard of honor, joined by Punjab players and umpires in a show of respect.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) also honored Saha before play commenced, presenting him with a shawl, a bouquet, and a jersey signed by his teammates, handed over by CAB President Snehasish Ganguly. To mark the occasion, he even cut a celebratory cake alongside the match officials.
Despite the emotional farewell, Saha had an unfortunate outing with the bat in the first innings, falling for a seven-ball duck to Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar.
This dismissal placed him among the Bengal cricketing greats who ended their careers with a duck, including Pankaj Roy (First-Class), Sourav Ganguly (Test), and Jhulan Goswami (ODI). However, he still has a chance to make an impact in the second innings.
Saha leaves behind an illustrious domestic career, having played 141 First-Class matches and scoring 7,169 runs at an impressive average of 48.68, including 14 centuries and 44 fifties. His brilliance behind the stumps further cemented his reputation as one of India’s finest wicketkeepers.
On the international stage, he represented India in 40 Test matches, accumulating 1,353 runs at an average of 29.41, along with featuring in nine ODIs. His last appearance for the national team came in December 2021 against New Zealand in Mumbai.