Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Sunday (February 20) has urged wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha to name the journalist who sent texts to him in the screenshot posted on Twitter. Harbhajan’s comments came after former opener Virender Sehwag backed Saha and slammed the ‘respected journalist in question.
“Wridhi you just name the person so that the cricket community knows who operates like this. Else even the good ones will be put under suspicion.. What kind of journalism is this ? @BCCI @Wriddhipops @JayShah @SGanguly99 @ThakurArunS players should be protected,” Harbhajan wrote on Twitter.
Wridhi you just name the person so that the cricket community knows who operates like this. Else even the good ones will be put under suspicion.. What kind of journalism is this ? @BCCI @Wriddhipops @JayShah @SGanguly99 @ThakurArunS players should be protected https://t.co/sIkqtIHsvt
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 20, 2022
Former India left-arm pacer RP Singh too tweeted in Saha’s favour. “When it is about BCCI or cricketers, we hear so many ‘sources’ from all the journalists. Can a single source tell me who this so called journalist is who has threatened Saha? #cricketwitter,” read his tweet.
Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly to deal with the matter. “Shocking a player being threatened by a journo. Blatant position abuse. Something that’s happening too frequently with #TeamIndia. Time for the BCCI PREZ to dive in. Find out who the person is in the interest of every cricketer. This is serious coming from ultimate team man WS,” Shastri tweeted.
Shocking a player being threatened by a journo. Blatant position abuse. Something that’s happening too frequently with #TeamIndia. Time for the BCCI PREZ to dive in. Find out who the person is in the interest of every cricketer. This is serious coming from ultimate team man WS https://t.co/gaRyfYVCrs
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) February 20, 2022
Previously on Sunday morning, Sehwag quote-tweeted and wrote, “Extremely sad. Such sense of entitlement, neither is he respected nor a journalist, just chamchagiri. With you Wriddhi.”
On Saturday evening, Sharing a screenshot of disturbing messages he received from the unnamed journalist shortly after nor finding a spot in the Test squad, Saha wrote on Twitter, “After all of my contributions to Indian cricket..this is what I face from a so called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone.”
Saha’s tweet came after he was excluded from the Test squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in March alongside Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma. During a virtual press conference, chief selector Chetan Sharma was asked about why Saha was not in the Test squad.
Sharing his thoughts on the comments, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan took to Twitter to write, “An honest coach Or someone just gives hope even after knowing that a player doesn’t fit in the scheme of things? Your opinion????? For me an honest coach ALWAYS!”
An honest coach Or someone just gives hope even after knowing that a player doesn’t fit in the scheme of things? Your opinion????? For me an honest coach ALWAYS!
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 20, 2022
Meanwhile, head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed on Sunday night after the 3rd T20 against West Indies that he was not ‘hurt’ by Saha’s comments. “I’m actually not hurt at all. I have deep respect for Wriddhi and his achievements and his contribution to Indian cricket. My conversation came from that place. I think he deserved honesty and clarity,” Dravid replied in his typical classy manner where he revealed little about a breach of trust with regards to dressing room conversation.
