The Rise Of Wriddhiman Saha - Becomes 4th Indian Wicketkeeper To Score Two Fifties In A Test

Wriddiman Saha is proving to be a serious asset to India's Test team. The diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman has been tremendous form of late and his knocks in the middle and lower-middle order has brought the Indian team out of trouble on most occasions. Just like his twitter handle - @Wriddhipops, Saha has been popping with the bat really well.?

PTI

In his seven Test innings so far this year, Saha has recorded scores of 40, 47, 104, 14, 0, 54*, 56* - with the last two coming in the ongoing 2nd Test against New Zealand at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.?

Saha's strength with the bat has been keeping good balls at bay, a tight defence against pace and using attack against spin.?

PTI

With his twin fifties, Saha became only the fourth Indian wicketkeeper to register scores of over 50 in the each innings of a Test match.?

A similar feat was last achieved by MS Dhoni at Brimingham against England in 2011. He had scored 77 in the first innings and 74 not out in the second. In fact, Dhoni has emulated this landmark four times in his career.

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Dilawar Hussain (59 & 57) was the first Indian to do it in 1932 against England, followed by Farookh Engineer (121 & 66) in 1973 against England. Dhoni got it first in 2008 at Mohali against Australia and in the same series he also made 56 and 55 at Nagpur. At Wellington, the former Indian skipper scored 52 and 56 not out against New Zealand in 2009.

PTI

Saha also became only the second wicketkeeper after Gerry Alexander to remain unbeaten in both the innings after going past the 50-run mark. Overall, Former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper and captain Andy Flower achieved the feat seven times in his career,while England's Alan Knott scored fifty plus runs in each innings of a Test match five times.

By doing so, he's proving that he is indeed India's best available wicket-keeper batsman in the longest format post Dhoni's retirement.