Former India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has announced his decision to retire from first-class cricket after the end of the ongoing 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. Saha, a veteran of 40 Tests, returned to represent his home state — West Bengal ahead of the ongoing season.

Currently preparing for Bengal’s fourth-round fixture against Karnataka in Bengaluru, Saha had already opted out of BCCI’s domestic white-ball tournaments, and remains solely focussed on helping Bengal lift the Ranji crown that eluded him in 2019-20, when they were pipped by Saurashtra in the final

“After a cherished journey in cricket, this season will be my last. I’m honoured to represent Bengal one final time, playing only in the Ranji Trophy before I retire. Let’s make this season one to remember!” Saha announced in a social media post.

Ever since the Test retirement of MS Dhoni in 2014, Saha was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper and last played for India in December 2021, until he was believed to have been informed by the then team management, led by Rahul Dravid, of India’s plans of moving on from him.

The emergence of a dashing Rishabh Pant made it even more competitive for the ageing Saha, but he remained India’s second-choice stumper on many occasions. Regarded as one of the best wicketkeepers in world cricket, Saha scored 1353 Test runs with three centuries in his career.

In the domestic circuit, he was instrumental in mentoring a young Abhishek Porel to take on the role of an all-format keeper, before making his way to Tripura for a two-year stint as a player-mentor. He returned to Bengal for his final season, following a meeting with former India skipper Sourav Ganguly.

Saha’s decision to opt out of BCCI’s white-ball tournaments, Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy, could also mean that he won’t feature in the Indian Premier League mega-auction ahead of the 2025 season.

Saha has featured in every edition of the IPL since its inception in 2008, and was most recently with Gujarat Titans, with whom he won a title in 2022. The right-hander has also previously represented Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, for whom he hit a memorable century in the 2014 final, where they were runners-up.