Wriddhiman Saha misses moment of glory

[chatin]

Wriddhiman Saha was presented with a perfect opportunity to take India towards victory in the first Test against Australia. But he perished in a matter of few deliveries, leaving everyone stunned by his shot selection. Varun Arora looks back.

Murali Vijay had given up in the final and the most nervous moments of the nineties. The 185-run stand behind him and Virat Kohli was over. Doubts had creeped in for a suspected Australian win which once looked hazy when the two Indian batsmen batted together.

Vijay’s dismissal had brought in Ajinkya Rahane. India were still the better of the two teams, but Australia had managed to sneak back. The same over saw an umpiring error result in Rahane’s dismissal: he did not score.

Out walked Rohit Sharma. Social media was already abuzz with jokes which said, “India should only score 100 runs, leave 264 for Rohit,”still amused by his 264-run knock against Sri Lanka at Kolkata last month. Rohit Sharma survived 18 deliveries during which he looked far different batsmen than the one we all saw at Eden Gardens. He too perished. Nathan Lyon, the invader, again.

In came Wriddhiman Saha with India at shaky 277 for five. Saha brought calm to the tense Adelaide pitch. The spectators started narrating the familiar stories of ‘unlucky Saha’ owing to MS Dhoni’s presence. But Saha had a point to prove here in Dhoni’s absence. He had a chance to win India the first Test.

Kohli picked up a single in the 80th over. Lyon fancied Saha coming to the strike. It was like

a favourite dish served to a hungry man. Lyon did not try anything exuberant. He sent in a loopy delivery outside off; Saha shimmied down a few steps, and buried the ball over the long-off boundary. Enthusiastic Indian supporters jumped with the Indian flag in their hands.

Saha walked towards towards his skipper at the other end who acknowledged his gallant approach. India were just 69 runs away from victory, suddenly this six from Saha made it look possible. The flags swayed with more glory; the atmosphere in Adelaide had changed within moments upon Saha’s arrival.

Lyon introspected for a few moments and returned to bowl to the Indian wicket-keeper. Saha’s eyes, looking out prominently out of the helmet grill, spoke of his intent. Lyon darted in a similar delivery, a bit wide outside off; Saha jammed his knee on the surface and drubbed the ball towards the deep square-leg boundary. He had won over Adelaide Oval in the space of two deliveries. Everyone looked with hope towards the little man wondering about his long absence from the Indian camp.

The next ball from the Lyon was calmly defended with the full face of the willow. It was a productive over from India’s perspective. Saha was just expected to rust the last ball and end the over. Lyon bowled the last delivery with a round-arm action and buried it a bit back of length. Saha crawled down the wicket and went for an ambitious hoick but missed it completely. The stumps were pegged back.

It was all over. Saha knew he had made a complete mess of the opportunity. A frenzied Lyon celebrated his five-wicket haul with his teammates; young Saha pressed out of the Adelaide ground with his head down in regret. He knew he had missed an opportunity. He does not know when his next opportunity would come.