New Delhi: Former cricketer and one of India’s finest wicketkeepers Wriddhiman Saha is all set to enter the coaching arena with Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) expressing interest in hiring him as the head coach of the under-23 state team. Saha called it quits from first-class cricket in January 2025 at the end of Bengal’s league stage campaign in the Ranji Trophy.
It is being learnt that former Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla will continue as the head coach of the senior team while ex-spinner Saurashis Lahiri will coach the under-19 team. A senior CAB source was quoted as saying by news agency PTI that CAB brass will finalise a candidate in the next week and Saha remains in the contention.
Saha biggest name from Bengal: CAB
‘The CAB brass will be zeroing in on all the candidates for various teams by next week. Obviously, Wriddhi has been sounded out and a final decision will be taken next week. Apart from Sourav Ganguly and Pankaj Roy, he is the biggest name from Bengal with 40 Tests,’ the CAB source told.
‘His experience of playing top level cricket for so long will only help the Gen-Next of Bengal cricket. Wriddhi already runs a chain of coaching centres and he has been a very hands on coach for juniors. He is passionate about coaching. Hopefully, he will be ready,’ the source said.
There has not been much culture in Bengal cricket about players being drafted into the coaching system after retirement but the case of Saha is different considering his stature in state cricket. The Bengal U-23 side till last season was being coached by former India opener Pranab Roy, son of legendary late Pankaj Roy.
If it has to be, people from the fraternity believe that Saha will come up as a great coach.