NEW DELHI, June 4: There are two doting dads in South Kolkata�s Saha household. The �younger dad� Wriddhiman, who recently became father for the second time and is tending to his infant son Anve.
And there is Wriddhiman�s father Prashanta, who is also performing his parental duty � ensuring that India�s most technically accomplished wicketkeeper�s hand-eye co-ordination remains top notch.
Saha senior is helping his son with keeping drills inside their spacious South City apartment.
�Whatever drills is 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.
Is there enough space to manoeuvre and catch? Luckily for Saha, there is.
�Yes, I can move sideways and catch.�
Asked if this forced break feels like the time he nursed a shoulder surgery in 2018-19, Saha said that it�s better than that phase.
�That time (post surgery), I couldn�t keep for months because of surgery but here if I want I can do my keeping drills.
�Look, it�s not that I am not in touch. It�s not that you get completely out of touch during lockdown. Yes, running is the thing that I am not able to do because of lockdown.
�So that�s a wait. Now inside our apartment complex, they are allowing us to walk in evenings.�
While Nick Webb has given customised training charts to everyone, Saha said that he has some equipment but it�s not possible to have a regimented exercise routine inside the apartment with a young family.
�Yes, I have some normal equipment. Obviously, not like a whole gym. Since family is here, I am training as much I am able to. I don�t have a specific duration of training.�
While coaches are speaking about a time frame of six to eight weeks to return to competitive match fitness, Saha said that he wouldn�t individually want to put a time-frame on his match-readiness.
�Bowlers, pacers in particular yes, they would need time, proper running, hitting the lengths, getting the pace up there, it takes time. Batsmen won�t take that much time. I can�t say you can put a timeline as such,� the 35-year-old, who has played 37 Tests, said.
�Like there could be players, who might be match-ready after four sessions or may be take a few more. As far as I am concerned, I don�t think timelines work for me to be specific,� he said. � PTI
