It was possibly the most spectacular debacle of IPL 2020. Chasing 127 against Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad sailed to 56/0 in 6.1 overs and the victory looked more and more like a formality. Then came the fool’s blow of losing all 10 wickets for the next 58 races, making his remaining three league games a must.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. SRH played a tactic by eliminating dangerous starter Jonny Bairstow to include Kane Williamson, reinforcing a wavering half order. But who would replace Bairstow, not just a starter but also the team’s regular goalie? They turned to Wriddhiman Saha, who up to that point had played just one game in which he scored 30 out of 31 balls.
But Saha knows what it takes to walk the tightrope. He had a chance on the Bengal Ranji team only because Deep Dasgupta had signed up for the rebellious Indian Cricket League. He made his Test debut as a hitter only because Rohit Sharma was injured before the pitch. And he became a regular on the test only once MS Dhoni decided to hang up his targets. This time it was no different.
Just three games after his late re-entry from the starting lineup, Saha has become the unlikely trump card for SRH. In those three matches, Saha has scored two goals for his team and has also scored two half centuries. Called to replace a more reputable name in white ball cricket, Saha has turned the star turn, playing a crucial role in helping SRH defeat the other three play-off qualifiers: Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. in his last three essential games.
When SRH takes on Virat Kohli-led RCB again on Friday in the Abu Dhabi elimination game, Saha will now be seen as privileged ground.
It all started with an 87 of 45 balls against DC. David Warner was at the other extreme, but it was Saha who played the assailant. When he’s on the Indian Test team, Saha is primarily known for standing alone, honing his ground-keeping skills, and contributing whatever little opportunities he gets with the bat. Saha’s is a simple game and has kept it that way in T20s as well.
There have been no blatant attempts to take full advantage of field restrictions in powerplay; just a lot of clean hits. Against DC, and using the limited shots in his arsenal, Saha placed the ball well between the fielders for 12 fours and cleared the ropes twice. The best of them was a pitch from Kagiso Rabada, when he had to back off to hit the short delivery just outside with the perfect timing. It was his second six of the game.
“I hit very smart. He improvised his shots after choosing the line and the length of the ball. There was no effort at all. He played a fantastic tackle that I really enjoyed watching, ”Sachin Tendulkar exclaimed on Twitter after seeing Saha’s effort that earned him a Man of the Match award.
But when it came to talking about himself, Saha was as humble as ever. “I had the opportunity for the second time this year and I took a chance on the power play for the team, and that’s it. It’s easy to play when there’s Warner on the other end. In the power game, I only play my natural cricket shots, ”Saha said.
While Saha credited Warner’s presence, the reverse is equally appropriate. Whether it’s because of Saha’s insurance role or desperation to get SRH to the playoffs, the Australian southpaw’s strike rate has risen from 127 to 164 in his team’s last three games.
Saha showed why his performance against DC was no fluke, as he kept his cool with 39 of 32 balls in a difficult but successful chase against RCB. And then he scored 58 of 45 in a 10-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders, where SRH needed to keep race pace high.
But here is the deciding factor. Saha’s power play hit rate of 169.04 this season is even better than Warner’s (129.59), and that speaks louder about his form than the shy man.
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