No Discussion On Wriddhiman Saha As Ishan Kishan Named KL Rahul's Replacement For WTC Final: Report

The BCCI has named wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan as the replacement for KL Rahul, who suffered a right upper thigh injury during an Indian Premier League match recently, for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, Rahul, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper, had been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL and the WTC final after he picked up the injury while fielding during a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this month. The WTC final will take place between June from 7-11 at The Oval in London.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ishan Kishan as KL Rahul's replacement (for the WTC final)," said a statement from BCCI secretary Jay Shah.

"KL Rahul suffered an injury to his right upper thigh while fielding during Match 43rd of TATA IPL 2023 between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore on 1st May."

Many thought veteran stumper Wriddhiman Saha, who is having a great IPL, will get a call-up for the one-off game but Kishan's selection showed that Shiv Sunder Das' committee has gone with continuity.

Once Saha was categorically told last year that he won't be picked any more for national duty as they want someone younger as Rishabh Pant's deputy, there was no chance that the soon to be 39-year-old veteran would have been named as the replacement.

"Kishan was the designated second keeper for Border Gavaskar Trophy. There was no discussion on Wriddhiman Saha," a source privy to development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The BCCI also said that a decision on left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat's, who suffered a shoulder injury to his bowling arm while practising for LSG ahead of the RCB game, participation in the WTC final will be taken at a later stage.

Shah said