India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has undergone a successful surgery for a fracture he sustained on his right ring finger during the recent pink-ball Test against Bangladesh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced on Wednesday.
The BCCI Medical Team consulted a hand and wrist specialist and it was suggested that Saha undergoes a surgical fixing of the fracture. Subsequently, he underwent a successful surgery in Mumbai on Tuesday and will soon commence his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Saha was in fine form during the five-Test home season for India this year. The 35-year-old had played for India during the 2018 tour to South Africa but was out injured after that. He made his international comeback against the Proteas in October this year and impressed one and all with his skills behind the stumps.
India’s next Test assignment is in New Zealand next year, starting in Wellington on February 21. Saha will be hoping to be fit and raring to go by then.
He had sustained a similar finger injury in the October Test series against South Africa but recovered for the Bangladesh assignment.
During the 2018 Indian Premier League, Saha ended up picking a career-threatening shoulder injury for which he had to undergo a surgery in England, leading to a long play-off. Rishabh Pant became the No 1 choice in Tests in his absence but he played his first game in 18 months when he was preferred over the southpaw in the home series against South Africa in October.
He was also picked ahead of Pant in the two-Test series against Bangladesh earlier this month, making it amply clear that he is the preferred choice at home.
In the day-night Test last week, Saha completed 100 dismissals in the longest format, becoming the fifth Indian wicketkeeper to do so. He has played 37 Tests for India so far in his career.
(With inputs from PTI)