Saha announces retirement from cricket after this year's Ranji Trophy

NEW DELHI: Veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha has announced his retirement from cricket, saying that the ongoing Ranji Trophy season will be his last.

The 40-year-old Bengal stumper has featured in 40 Tests and nine ODIs since making his international debut in 2010.

"After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I am honoured to represent Bengal one final time, playing only in the Ranji Trophy before I retire," Saha said in a social media post.

"Let's make this season one to remember," he added in a post that went up late on Sunday night.

Saha was a part of India's red-ball set-up for a long time before he was informed by then head coach Rahul Dravid that the selectors and the team management were looking beyond him.

He was released from BCCI's central contracts' list last year.

One of his most memorable knocks for India came during New Zealand's 2016 tour where he scored unbeaten fifties on a seaming track against a quality bowling attack comprising the likes of Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Neil Wagner and Mitchell Santner at the Eden Gardens.

He was adjudged player of the match for his exploits in that Test. A middle-order floater in the national line-up, his overall Test career yielded 1353 runs, including three hundreds.

A stalwart of domestic cricket, he made his First Class debut for Bengal way back in 2007, amassing 7013 runs in 138 games.

He briefly served as Tripura's player-cum-mentor after a rift with some Cricket Association of Bengal officials in 2022.

However, following a meeting with former India captain Sourav Ganguly, Saha returned to Bengal this season.

He also played 170 Indian Premier League matches, representing various teams including Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans.

His lone hundred in the tournament came in the 2014 final for Punjab Kings against KKR.