Wriddhiman passes Oz test with flying colours

Kolkata: There was never any doubt about Wriddhiman Saha's glovework. The recent tour of Australia with the Indian Emerging team showed once again what a fine wicketkeeper the Bengal cricketer is.
Coach Pravin Amre was all praise for the youngster, whose figures told the tale: 14 dismissals in the limited-overs meet (11 catches and 3 stumpings). The Knight Riders player proved that the national selectors decision to pick him ahead of former India stumper Parthiv Patel was the correct one.
What makes Wriddhiman's effort even more praiseworthy is the fact that fluorescent green and orange Duke balls were used in the Emerging Series matches, besides the white Kookaburra.
And, Wriddhiman and his mates had not practised with the coloured balls at the preparatory camp at Bangalore's NCA.
"It was not at all easy in the initial phase. I believe keeping to the orange ball was the most difficult thing I have done in my career," the 24-year-old told TOI on Sunday.
"We played all our matches in Brisbane during daytime. The weather was clear with good sunshine. Whenever Amit (Mishra) bowled, it was tough picking the rotation of his leg-breaks and googlies. The problem was, the glow of the orange balls would make it disappear in the sunlight.
I had only one thing in mind: Come what may, I must not concede byes. Luckily, things went my way."
The green balls, Wriddhiman felt, tested the batsmen.
"It would bounce at least six inches more than a white Kookaburra. Also, the pronounced seam resulted in movement. The ball hurried onto the bat. We got only one days practice before we started playing with coloured balls. Interestingly, the matches we lost were all played with coloured balls, but in the final we played with the white ball and won," said the man who smashed 74 in the final against the South Africans.
Does he think the coloured ball experiment will work? "The green ball might still work if you are playing a T20 match under lights. But it will be difficult to continue with the orange balls. It's an absolute no-no for day matches."
There is no time to give his tired limbs a rest, as Wriddhiman will be joining the Knight Riders fitness camp on Monday.
"If I aspire to play international cricket, I have to deal with this."