BCCI could call for “through investigation” in Wriddhiman Saha issue: reports

The BCCI is pondering a “through investigation” into the controversial case of experienced wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who on Saturday (February 19) made public a set of intimidatory messages sent from a “Respected” journalist over WhatsApp following his sacking from the Test squad.

The Indian board, reported the Times of India, is not in the mood to let the matter go by without properly finding the details behind it, especially the journalist who sent those messages to Saha and see if there is precedence of cricketers being treated as such by few media personnel.

“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,” source close to the issue was quoted as saying in the TOI report after Saha brought to light a threat made by a yet undisclosed journalist.

Also Read – ‘I Don’t Take Insults Kindly’ – Saha Faces Threat From “Respected” Journalist For Rejecting Interview

Wriddhiman Saha made public the threat made by a journalist

If an investigation is launched, the BCCI wants to get to the core of the matter and grab those unethical men by the neck who may have built a “nexus” that could be troubling multiple Indian players, especially youngsters, not just a Test veteran like Wriddhiman Saha.

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. pic.twitter.com/woVyq1sOZX

— Wriddhiman Saha (@Wriddhipops) February 19, 2022

“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 TOI report quoted a board official as saying.

Since his ouster has been confirmed, Saha, in various media interactions has informed that he was first given an indication of his imminent sacking by head coach Rahul Dravid in South Africa last month before chief selector Chetan Sharma put a stamp of approval upon it.

But few BCCI officials are also putting under scanner his conversation with board president Sourav Ganguly. Saha disclosed that Ganguly assured him of his place in the side while congratulating him in November for his performance against New Zealand.

The 37-year-old said in an interview with ESPNcricinfo that it feels like the “biggest shock” for him to see how things have changed only one series later.

“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 ,” Wriddhiman Saha revealed. “Naturally, I was shocked at what I was told immediately one series after.”

But for these BCCI officials, TOI reported, the bone of contention here is with what power could Ganguly assure Saha of his place in the Test squad? Unless the board president is influencing the selection matters, Ganguly’s assurance to Saha had no real value.

“The Rahul Dravid-bit is understandable,” the BCCI official said. “He’s the national coach and may have wanted to keep his players in the loop. That’s between the coach and the players. What was the need for a BCCI official to speak with Saha and assure him of a place in the side? ‘I don’t ‘t need to worry till he’s there’. Kitni galat baat hai yeh (How wrong it is to say something like this),”

“First the Virat incident happened, then all this. And then he’s (Saha) posted that tweet of the screenshot (of messages he received from a journalist). What the h*** is happening? The Board has to act because enough is enough,” say those tracking developments.

Prominent names from the Indian cricket community, including former teammates, have come out in support of Saha over social media and have urged him to name and shame the journalist involved. The cricketer has so far kept mum about things. But if the BCCI goes through their investigation, he will be expected to inform them proper details in the matter.