New Delhi: In a time when drop catches have been a regular fixture and sometimes even match turners, Wriddhiman Saha took a stunning catch to fully justify India’s best keeper’s tag during the Kings Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore match in Indore.
Chairman of Selectors MSK Prasad had said that Saha is the number one choice for the Test keeper’s slot when there was a raging debate between Parthiv and him, mainly because of Saha’s injury. After scoring 2 hundreds in the following 5 Test matches and displaying commendable skills behind the stumps, Saha chose to light up IPL with a superb catch.
Not always a catch makes grabs the headlines, despite breathtaking strokeplay from AB de Villiers and unmatchable class of Hashim Amla. But Saha’s gravity defying jump was special in more ways than one. First he had to run backwards for about 50 meters. Second, he had to adjust with the swaying movement of the ball. The third he had to keep an eye on the ball through the flashing lights. And lastly he had to jump backwards to grab a hold of the ball.
Saha’s catch bore special significance in the match also as it ended a 46 run stand between De Villiers and Mandeep Singh.
Kings XI won the match in a canter by chasing down 148 in 14.2 overs with 8 wickets in hand.