Dravid says he was not hurt by Saha’s comments after the Test snub

The Team India head coach said on Sunday that he spoke with Bengal wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha earlier this year and that the management is trying to train a young wicketkeeper. Dravid’s response comes only a day after Saha spoke out in the media about how Dravid proposed retirement because he would not be considered for selection in the longest format.

I’m not upset at all; I have a great deal of respect for Wriddhiman Saha and his accomplishments and contributions to Indian cricket. My talk with him sprang from that; I just believed he deserved honesty and clarity. I didn’t want him to find out about it through the media. These are the kinds of talks I have with gamers all the time, and I’m not bothered by it. “I don’t expect players to constantly agree with me or appreciate the messaging,” Dravid remarked during a virtual news conference.

It’s important to have difficult conversations with people, including players, even if you don’t always agree with them. I think these discussions should take place every time the starting line-up is selected.” Even today, Rohit and I will talk to the players who aren’t on the field. It’s normal for players to be wounded and feel disrespected; because I respect Wriddhiman, he deserved honesty and clarity “He continued.

Rahul Dravid said "Before every XI is picked either me or Rohit will speak to those players who are not playing. We try & answer as much as questions, convey the reasons and It is natural for players to get upset".

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 21, 2022

Dravid went on to add regarding Saha: “With Rishabh Pant as our No.1 keeper, the plan was to suggest that with just three Tests this year, we were seeking to nurture a younger keeper. This has no bearing on my sentiments or regard for Wriddhiman. The simplest thing for me to do is to avoid having those talks; this is not who I am. At some point, I hope people would accept the fact that I was able to stand up and have these discussions.”

Rohit Sharma was named the Indian men’s team’s new Test captain, while veterans Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma, Saha, and Ajinkya Rahane were dropped from the Sri Lanka series.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) set a revised schedule for India’s forthcoming home series against Sri Lanka earlier this week. The tour was supposed to start with a two-match Test series, but it will instead start with T20Is, with the first match taking place on February 24 at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium. The second and third Twenty20 Internationals will be held at Dharamsala on February 26 and 27. Following the T20I series, the countries will play two Tests as part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle 2021-23. Mohali will host the first Test from March 4 to 8, while Bengaluru will host the second Test from March 12 to 16. The first Test will be former captain Virat Kohli’s 100th Test, while the second will be a day/night match.