"Good to see somebody with old legs coming and pushing people" - Dinesh Karthik hails Wriddhiman Saha after Day 4 of 1st India vs New Zealand Test
Dinesh Karthik was all praise for wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha for his valiant, unbeaten knock of 61 against New Zealand in Kanpur on Sunday. Karthik said he was pleased to see "somebody with old legs" showing everyone how it's done.
Wriddhiman Saha came to bat when India were struggling at 103-6, with a lead of 152.
The 38-year-old, who didn't take the field at all on Saturday due to a neck sprain, batted alongside Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel to take the total to 234-7. His 126-ball innings included four boundaries and a six against Will Somerville.
Speaking on the show 'Cricbuzz Chatter', Dinesh Karthik said he appreciated the knock even more because, with the emergence of KS Bharat, Saha was under pressure to maintain his spot in the team.
Karthik said:
"What I like about him is that he was again having his back against the wall in this Test. This could have easily been one of his last Test innings because there would have been a lot of pressure to bring Srikar Bharat for the next Test.
"But again I was just happy to see Wriddhiman Saha bat because he's a solid batter, he's really good, he's got a bit of dogfight in him, you know, he fought his way through a stiff neck, changed his stance up, batted differently to what he's used to but delivered.
"It's good to see somebody with old legs coming and pushing people and showing how it can be done."
Success is not in what you have, but who you are. Glad to contribute to the Team’s cause.
@BCCI
#IndVsNZ #TeamIndia #India https://t.co/J1XydEyFng
Wriddhiman Saha's half-century was his first in over four years. Overshadowed by the young Rishabh Pant, Saha hasn't played for India since the Adelaide Test in Australia last year, which made his comeback even more special.
Wriddhiman Saha is a bloke who comes in and does the job when India needs him: Simon Doull
#TeamIndia Batting Coach Vikram Rathour heaps praise on team-man @Wriddhipops. 👌 👌
#INDvNZ @Paytm https://t.co/rXpsmZIqXD
Cricketer-turned-broadcaster Simon Doull, speaking during the same interaction, also labeled Wriddhiman Saha a "street fighter" who does the job when India need him the most.
Doull said:
"I called him a street fighter, I hope that's not too derogatory to him, on the commentary today. To me, he's that sort of guy when the conditions are really, really tough he's the fighter, the bloke who comes in and does the job when they are down and need him."
If Wriddhiman Saha maintains his fitness, he's likely to get another opportunity to stake his claim for the tour of South Africa in the second Test in Mumbai.
However, for now, his job will be to support India's spin troika as they attempt to bowl New Zealand - who are currently at 4/1 - out before the target of 284 in Kanpur.