Here's how Wriddhiman Saha's father is helping him hone his keeping skills during lockdown

For India's Test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, the wait to return to the field for the national side is longer than that of his teammates, as he was ruled out with a shoulder injury much earlier. The coronavirus-forced lockdown left cricketers confined to four walls, asking them to take up the mammoth challenge of keeping themselves fit and their skill set up to date with limited resources available within their houses. In Saha's case, he received a helping hand from his father, who took it upon himself to ensure the wicketkeeper-batsman's hand-eye coordination remains intact,  during the COVID lockdown. 

READ | We'll Be Ready Even If Get Short Time To Prepare For Women's World Cup: Lanning

'My father is helping me with catching practice' 

Speaking to PTI in an exclusive interview, Wriddhiman Saha pointed out the challenges he faced to maintain fitness and keep up[ with practice during cricket's two-month-long hiatus. The West Bengal keeper gave an insight into his lockdown routine, revealing his father's role in helping him with practice while also offering a peek into the limitations of exercising and practicing indoors. Saha, like other Indian cricketers, managed to fix a routine during this lockdown which allowed him to train efficiently with available resources. 

"Whatever drills possible in the confines of my apartment, I am doing that.  So I do a lot of hand-eye coordination drills which are a must for keepers. At times, I am throwing a softball against the wall and catching to get the feel,"  Wriddhiman told PTI during an exclusive interaction. 

"At times, my father (Prashanta Saha) is helping me inside the flat," he said.

READ | Australian Cricketers Association To Challenge CA's Negative Forecast For Next 2 Summers

'Depends on the mindset' 

Many former cricketers have stressed on the need for team support staff to seriously consider injury management once the sport resumes, as players step on the field after over two months of zero cricketing action, which could lead to possibilities of injuries. Speaking about the adjustment required to be made by the players once action resumes, Saha said that it would differ for batsmen and bowlers. While the wicketkeeper admitted that bowlers would require some time to get back to form, he said that batsmen could probably take lesser time to get going and that it wasn't possible to fix timelines as it varies from player to player. 

READ | Virat Kohli Gives Sneak Peek Into Luxurious, Artistic ₹80 Crore Gurugram Bungalow

So after hiatus, what is more difficult  gathering 140kmph deliveries that wobble at you or keeping up to spinners?

"Depends on the mindset," he says. 

"It's not necessary that keeping up to spinners will be difficult. May be, it can happen that very first day of a match, I find that I am in rhythm while gathering deliveries."

READ | Shane Warne Says His 'Ball Of The Century' To Dismiss Mike Gatting In 1993 Was A 'fluke'