“Resumption of IPL 2021 is doubtful”: Wriddhiman Saha opines on playing IPL 2021 without overseas players

Wriddhiman Saha opines on playing IPL 2021: The veteran wicket-keeper batsman isn’t too confident regarding the resumption of IPL 2021.

Veteran Sunrisers Hyderabad wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha has called for Indian Premier League teams to practice consistency when it comes to team combinations especially at the start of an IPL season.

Saha, 36, scored 8 (15) across two innings before getting left out of the Playing XI for the second time in seven matches in the now-postponed IPL 2021.

“Any player can flop in a couple of matches. But if the line-up is being continuously changed, no team would be able to settle down. I would suggest, not only for SRH, but any side to pen down their best XI and play that line-up for four-five matches straight. If it’s not clicking then as well, then make the changes.

“But then, it was the management’s decision, we can’t do much about it. They told me before the MI [Mumbai Indians] game that I won’t be playing the match. But we didn’t have any discussion about trying me out in other positions. My chances again would have come depending on the performance of the team later in the tournament,” Saha said in an interview with SportsKeeda.

In what started as cough and cold for the Indian Test specialist, he was eventually diagnosed with COVID-19 to become the only player from his franchise to contact the virus.

Wriddhiman Saha opines on playing IPL 2021 without overseas players

Despite multiple speculations around the resumption of IPL 2021, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) are yet to put forward their contingency plan for the defunct 14th season.

Zeroing in on a slot in the otherwise hectic international calendar, finalizing a venue and overseas players’ availability will remain the biggest challenges for BCCI before resuming IPL 2021.

Touching upon the the third factor, Saha didn’t shy away from saying that playing IPL 2021 in the absence of overseas players would be “doubtful” for a lot of teams rely upon players from other countries.

“Majority of the foreigners are from Australia, England and the West Indies. So, I personally feel the resumption of the league this year is doubtful. Without the overseas players, IPL will just be an enhanced version of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy,” Saha said.

Having recovered from COVID-19 now, Saha will join the Indian team’s bio-bubble in Mumbai before flying to England for the World Test Championship final and a five-match Test series against England.

While Saha will be second in the pecking order after Rishabh Pant, India have also included a standby wicket-keeper in KS Bharat for the tour of England.